Realm of Shadows
by RavensBear
Summary: NOW COMPLETE. When Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold, she finds it is the key to many things in Storybrooke, including her heart. Rated M for later chapters. SwanQueen.
1. Chapter 1

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina (eventually)

**Disclaimers:**I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fanfiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed. This is unbeta-ed (any volunteers? ;) So all mistakes are mine alone.

**Chapter One**

He used to look so peaceful when he slept. As a baby he liked her to cuddle him and rock him to sleep in the heavy oak rocker. When he was teething and would fuss, just holding him close to her and humming a melody was enough to settle him down. In time the baby turned into a child. Still, the years of scraped knees, schoolyard tussles and even a sprained arm from falling off of his bike, could be mended with a kiss and a warm apple cobbler. As a small boy he would let her snuggle with him as she read him a nighttime story. He used to let her kiss his forehead. And he used to smile at her and respond "I love you too, mom." when she tucked him into bed.

She was a good mom and she thought she truly cared for her son; _but_ _did she do it out of love or duty?_ The question had nagged at her throughout his childhood. At times she honestly thought that it was out of love for the little boy who adored her. But many had adored her in her life, and she had loved only two. One she had lost and one she had killed.

Regina Mills stood in the wooden framed doorway of her son Henry's room. Soft light from the bathroom bathed the boy in a gentle white glow. His brow furrowed as he tossed in his sleep. She longed to comfort him. She had taken for granted the times that he welcomed her touch, her hugs or any part of her. Perhaps she truly did feel love for her son; tonight she felt the pangs of regret that she had lost his affection for her. But was it because she loved him or because he no longer adored her? She blew him a kiss, knowing that even that was not wanted by the boy, and quietly closed the heavy wooden door till she heard it softly click.

Regina savored the taste of the apple cider as it swirled in her mouth. The crystal goblet, intricately cut, held the amber liquor that she had stilled from her own tree. One more sip then she took her silver letter opener to the unmarked manila envelope and read the latest report. Regina had been watching her. For over two months now Emma had seemed to move in and invade the Mayor's life. 4x6 matte finished photos of the irritating blond and Henry were splayed across her mahogany living room table as she picked them up one by one and scowled. She had thought it was a good idea to have Sidney follow them, stalk them really, to ensure that Henry was safe. _I've lost him. _She stared at one photo for minutes. A smiling Emma and Henry looking downward, heads tilted together conspiratorially. Regina could almost hear the soft laughter emanating from the picture. Her lip curled in contempt as she felt the familiar anger rising in her chest. _I..Don't…Lose._

Emma rolled over in her warm bed and cussed when she saw the digital bedside clock. She swore louder when she realized she had set her alarm for 8pm rather than 8am on Monday morning and now she was running late…again. She picked her jeans up off of the floor and pulled them up over her hips then grabbed a clean white t-shirt from the drawer and tucked it into her jeans. She pulled on her boots as she hopped down the stairs. Clutching her red leather jacket in one hand and a muffin in the other she slammed the door on her way out. The wheels on the Sheriff's car spun on the gravel as she hastily pulled into the traffic lane and raced to the Mayor's office.

Regina looked at her delicate watch and pursed her lips. 9:02am and the Sheriff was late for their meeting…again. She poured herself a second cup of coffee with one sugar and was cradling the cup, letting the warmth seep into her hands, when the intercom chimed. "Madame Mayor,…" Michael's voice declared "…Sheriff Swan is here to see you."

Regina acknowledged the page and straightened her suit jacket. She gracefully sat down as she pinned her eyes on the disheveled Sheriff. "Miss Swan," she began, her silky voice laced with disdain, "Surely you realize that I'm a very busy woman. You are ten minutes late and obviously ill prepared for our meeting."

Emma sighed. _Here we go again_.

Regina looked pointedly at her watch then back to the Sheriff. "Unfortunately I no longer have the time to meet with you this morning. Plan to be here all morning tomorrow. I do expect you to be prompt; we have many important items to discuss." She waved her hand to dismiss Emma. "Go. Do your best to keep my little town safe, won't you." Regina had already opened a file and was studying it intently, leaving Emma to see herself out.

"Ok, bye to you too." Emma muttered as she left the office.

Mr. Gold scrutinized the heavy set cloaked figure standing in his shop. "Are you certain? And _she_ is behind it?" He asked, his voice tinged with unease.

"I am sure; the path has been shown to me." Came the slow, steady response from the old woman.

The pawnbroker took the sheet of parchment paper, rolled it up into a coil and wrapped the ribbon carefully around it. "And the other woman?" He pressed.

The woman slowly shook her head. "If the one dies, everything is lost, for that I have seen."

Mr. Gold felt the thrill go through him. "And the rest of us?" His patience grew thin.

The old woman shrugged. "Perhaps with more…time I will have a clearer vision, but for now all I see is the mist."

Mr. Gold knew a stalling technique when he saw one. The woman obviously knew more than she was letting on but experience had taught him that no amount of cajoling would force her to tell him more until she was ready. Or well paid. "Very well, then. Leave me and let me consider what you have said." He pressed a few gold coins into her hand as shadow bowed and hobbled from the shop.

He went to his back office where the light was better and unrolled the sheet. The details didn't make sense, but the gypsy had never led him astray. He just needed more time. Time to prepare, to plan, to organize; for one way or another _time_ itself was about to run out.

The Sheriff's office was quiet most of the morning. The few phone calls she received were minor complaints of someone parked in a loading only zone, a stray dog digging in Mrs. Edwards's flower garden, and that a streetlight was burned out on Main Street. The offending vehicle left even as the caller was on the phone. Emma called the Vet's office to follow up on the dog and the Maintenance Department about the light.

The afternoon promised to be just as quiet so Emma leaned back in her solid chair, leather boots propped up on her desk as she read the Daily Mirror. The door slammed and the Mayor stormed in. "Is this really how you spend the taxpayers' hard earned money, Miss Swan? By amusing yourself with that local rag and marking up city property with your boot soles."

Emma didn't budge as the Mayor glared at her. "Good afternoon, Madame Mayor." She glanced at Regina and smirked. "As you can see, all is quiet in Storybrooke."

Regina's eyes narrowed. "Unless you have a magic mirror you can't see much of my town from your desk. Shouldn't you be out patrolling, stopping trouble before it gets out of hand? We _do_ pay you a salary and it's not to lounge around here."

Emma folded the newspaper and tossed it unceremoniously onto the desk. "Sure, why not? Maybe you want to take a ride with me?" Emma gave the Mayor an innocent look.

Regina arched a perfectly shaped brow. "Miss Swan, I really don't have time to joyride with you."

Emma laughed "Suit yourself, I'm out of here."

Regina watched the Sheriff's departure and tried to recall the last time someone dared laugh at her. She snapped her head up when she heard the sound of the car horn blare. _How dare she wave at me!_

Emma drove unhurriedly up the main street as she looked into each storefront window making sure nothing was amiss. She sighed when she realized there really was nothing to do. It was nearly time for school to let out, so she turned the corner and headed south. She parked on the street in her usual spot. She went there daily on school days, hoping to catch a glimpse of Henry as well as to make sure that all the school kids were safe crossing the streets. Within a few minutes the school doors opened as children poured out of them.

A smiling Mary Margaret soon appeared at the entrance as her class departed the building. She looked for Emma and gave her a quick wave. Emma smiled back and gestured at the teacher. Henry was nowhere to been seen until Emma looked up and saw him entering his mom's black Mercedes. _Hey Kid. _Once the school yard was emptied, Emma drove back downtown towards the Sheriff's office. Her heart twinged a bit and she rubbed her sternum to help with the ache.

On a whim, she turned the corner, driving past the strip of shops that housed some of the more popular businesses in town. The sunlight reflected in the glass of the shops as she slowly cruised by in the police car. She didn't expect to see Mr. Gold standing outside of his pawn shop beckoning to her. "Miss Swan…" He approached her car as she pulled to the curb. "Might I have ten minutes of your time, Sheriff? Inside my shop." She hesitated before unlatching her seatbelt and following the man inside through the dim retail portion of his shop into the private back area.

"Please, have a seat, Sheriff." Emma sat on the oak chair as Mr. Gold turned to the stove and began heating water in the kettle. He sat across the small table and hung his cane on the back of his chair. "Now, shall we…." Emma waited with a mixture of dread and curiosity. Mr. Gold had that effect on people.

The kettle whistled and Mr. Gold gestured to the stove. "Sheriff, would you mind since I'm already sitting." He tapped his leg for emphasis. Emma stood and turned the stove off. She poured the water into the porcelain teapot and brought it to the table. Mr. Gold seeped the leaves in the pot while he spoke. "I've decided to call in my favor with you." Emma's heart sank; she knew this day would come but she had hoped it wouldn't be for a very, very long time. Still, she found the strength to look the man in his eyes and quirk her eyebrow.

"Alright, what's the deal? And nothing illegal Mr. Gold, I'm Sheriff now and I can't just go out and break the law."

Mr. Gold chuckled softly. "Oh trust me dearie, it's completely legal…." He poured the tea into the delicate cups and handed one saucer to Emma."…I want you and Henry to be nice to Regina Mills."

It took a moment for the words to sink in before Emma laughed. "That's it? That's your big favor? Act nice to the Mayor?" Emma shook her head in amazement. "Yeah I can do that."

Mr. Gold sipped his tea and gently sat the cup onto the matching saucer before meeting the Sheriff's blue eyes. "Ah ah ah, dearie, not_ act_ nice to Regina, _BE_ nice to her. And your son needs to do the same. No matter how vile she gets, no matter how much hate and anger she throws your way, you will be _nice_. That is the favor I'm calling in."

Emma studied him while he calmly took another sip of his tea. "And if I refuse?"

Mr. Gold smirked at the question he had been asked a thousand times in his life. "Then, Miss Swan, you will owe me two favors-legal or not."

Emma considered this. "Alright, for how long?" She asked.

Mr. Gold was thoughtful before answering. "One month should be enough time."

Emma took a deep breath before responding with a grimace on her face. "Ok, deal."


	2. Chapter 2

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina (eventually)

**Disclaimers:**I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fanfiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed. This is unbeta-ed (any volunteers? ;) So all mistakes are mine alone.

**Chapter Two**

_Be nice, be nice, be nice. _Emma repeated her mantra in her head as she pulled up early the next morning at the Mayor's office.

"Good morning, Sheriff, I'll let the Mayor know you are here." Regina's assistant smiled at the blond woman in the foyer.

"Thanks, Michael. Want an apple fritter?" Emma held the pink cardboard box in her hands and opened the lip towards the man.

"Sorry, honey, I'm not too fond of apples." He smiled conspiratorially at Emma and put his finger on his lips. "But don't tell the Mayor our little secret." Emma laughed,

"Alright, how about a bear claw?"

Michael' face lit up. "Oh yes. I do love a good bear claw." He gently pulled a pastry out of the pink box as the light on his desk phone blinked. "Good luck, sweetie. Madame Mayor is all ready for you."

"Sheriff Swan…" Regina sat regally at her marble desk and quirked an eyebrow at Emma. "…So glad you could manage to be here on time for once."

_Be nice, be nice, be nice. _Emma smiled as she entered the large room and walked over to the Mayor's desk. "Apple fritter, Mayor?" Emma watched the Mayor closely and saw the flash of surprise before Regina's poker face kicked in.

"Ms. Swan, this isn't a social visit. It's a business meeting." Emma pulled out a bear claw and sat it on her side of the desk then pulled out an apple fritter and a fork for the Mayor and sat it next to Regina.

"Coffee?" She asked as she sat the box next to the coffeemaker and poured herself a cup of brew. She took Regina's silence as a yes and poured the Mayor a cup of black coffee. "One sugar, right?" She surprised herself in knowing how the other woman liked her coffee. Again her question was met with silence. She walked back with the two cups and handed one to the Mayor. "I realize this is a business meeting, but I think we both would do better with a bit of breakfast. So cheers." Emma raised her coffee cup in salute before sipping at the hot creamy concoction.

Regina eyed her warily before tasting her own coffee. She sat it down and pulled out a thick folder marked -Sheriff's Office- and began the meeting. "It's a new fiscal year, Sheriff, and I realize this is your first time going over the budgets, so I'll walk you through them. This is the approved budget for this upcoming year. You will need to write a proposed budget for next year and submit if for review by July 1st." Regina was surprised when the Sheriff pulled out a notepad and began writing.

"Ok…" Emma pulled her copy of the budget closer. "Explain away."

Regina began at the top and went over each line item that concerned the Sheriff's Office. Salaries, Office Supplies, Uniforms, Fuel, Phone, Utilities, Repairs, Equipment for the Office, Equipment for the Patrol Car, Compensation for Overtime, Employee Benefits, Recruitment Allowances…everything had its own budget line and dollar amount. Emma made notes on each one and asked relevant questions that popped into her head. She wasn't unfamiliar with budgets, after all she had run her own business for many years as a Bail Bondsman, but this was a lot more complex and official.

"Wow…." She ran her fingers through her long blond tresses. "How many department budgets do you have to oversee?"

Regina had been nibbling at her apple fritter throughout the meeting and swallowed the current bite before answering. "Twelve, sometimes thirteen. Then I have to make sure that as a whole this town comes in at or under budget. Sometimes one department needs additional funding for an emergency situation and I have to figure out from where to draw that money. There are also funds earmarked for specific projects each year. I pursue the bids, and then make my recommendations to the City Council. Then I oversee the actual implementation of the project and its funding. But, I'm probably boring you." Regina took a sip of her coffee as Emma considered the information.

"That's a lot to juggle…" And she found herself honestly saying. "You're very good at this, Regina."

Regina scowled at the use of her first name and refused to accept the compliment. "And when exactly did you become an expert on city management?"

Emma took a deep breath, trying to not rise to the bait. "What is the Hospital's budget line number and dollar amount for office supplies?"

Regina didn't hesitate before answering. "Number 2132 and twenty-five hundred thirty dollars."

Emma smiled. "Madame Mayor I don't need to be an expert on city management because it's obvious that _you _are."

Regina's eyes narrowed as she searched the statement for any hidden insults. Finding none, she retorted "My being good at my job only makes it harder for you. I expect monthly budget updates and that you will, in fact, stay within your budget are the forms you need to submit, with receipts, for reimbursements." She handed Emma a stack of papers. "In triplicate, of course. Also Sheriff…." She leisurely eyed Emma from top to bottom. "I realize that you are overly fond of that red pleather jacket you wear, but there are times I need you to be in full dress uniform as Sheriff; Ceremonies, funerals and the like. Since you have a generous budget for that particular line item, I would request that you go and spend it."

Emma put her hands in her pockets to hide that she had balled them into tight fists. _Pleather, my ass, this is the real stuff, Lady. _She forced her face to be neutral as she gave a tight smile and replied. "As you wish." The rest of the meeting went quickly and uneventfully.

As Emma went to leave Regina stood and walked her to the doorway. "Oh, and Sheriff Swan, twice weekly updates are still expected, I'll see you Friday. You can see yourself out."

Emma dropped by Worthington's Haberdashery and made an appointment with the tailor. She grabbed a thick catalog of uniforms they had on display and headed back to the Sheriff's Office. She was busy folding the corners of pages in the catalog when the bell at the door rang and she glanced up to see Mr. Gold. "Really? Twice in two days Mr. Gold. To what do I owe this honor."

The man smiled patiently and limped over to the Sheriff's desk. "I was, ah, doing some cleaning of my files this morning, Sheriff, and I ran across this one." He tossed a thick manila envelope onto her desk. "I thought it might pique your interest. You said finding people was a skill of yours, so, there you go. Have a lovely afternoon, Miss Swan." He turned and left the office.

Emma put her catalog aside and opened the old envelope. Newspaper clippings, old sheriff reports and various photos were stuffed inside the file. She looked perplexed as she began sorting the information into piles. _Sherry Preston officially declared Missing. _The newspaper article included a small 2 inch black and white photo of a smiling young woman. _After a thorough investigation by the Sheriff's office, Sheriff Graham had declared that Miss. Preston probably left town of her own accord. No further time or resources will be allotted for investigation into the case. _Emma stared at the small photo, then noticed the page number at the top right of the article. Page five. _Why wouldn't this be front page news? _She thought of the small town newspaper that often ran mundane headlines such as _Truck loses tire; Hits the curb_

Two hours later she had somewhat organized the files into seven specific cases. All missing persons; all cases gone cold and dropped. _What the hell happened? It's not like Graham had much else to do around here. Regina…._The thought came unbidden to her mind. The Mayor had the Sheriff under her thumb _and other parts of her body_ for as long as anyone could remember. If Graham had dropped the cases, Regina was somehow behind it. As she locked up the folder in her desk drawer Emma realized she'd have to tread very carefully if she was going to pursue the cold cases.


	3. Chapter 3

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina (eventually)

**Disclaimers:**I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fanfiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed. This is unbeta-ed (any volunteers? ;) So all mistakes are mine alone.

**Chapter Three**

"Hi, Emma!" Henry ran breathlessly towards the Sheriff's car. "What are you doing here? I thought my _Mom _was going to pick me up." He said the word mom as if he tasted a sour grape.

"Yeah…" Emma looked around for the Mayor's Mercedes. "..She is, but I need to talk to you really quick till she gets here."

His face beamed with a wide smile. "Is this about Operation Cobra?"

Emma shifted and faced her son. "Sort of… Look I need a big favor from you."

Henry nodded seriously at the request. "Anything, Emma."

She smiled at him again, trying to reassure him. "Okay, kid, this might sound kind of strange." Henry scrutinized her. "But I need you to be _nice_ to your mom for a while."

She watched as a storm of emotions played on Henry's face, until he settled on a perplexed look. "But she's the Evil Queen; I shouldn't have to be nice to her. It's all her fault that..."

Emma cut him off mid-tirade. "Think of this as a new tactic in Operation Cobra. It might make her a lot less suspicious of us if we're nice to her…and not an _act_ kid, we've got to both really mean it."

Henry grimaced at the thought. "For how long?" He asked and Emma smirked.

_Smart question. _"Let's try it for two weeks, see how it goes? That should be long enough to see if we are throwing her off our trail. Just pretend that she isn't evil but just your strict mortal mom, okay?" They both heard the honk of the car as the Mayor glared at them from behind her windshield.

Henry grabbed his backpack and ran towards the black car. "Talk to you later, Emma." He called over his shoulder. Emma waved and smiled at Regina but the Mayor only scowled in return.

"Henry, bedtime." Regina supervised her son as he packed away his books and completed homework into his backpack. Normally Henry would give his mom the cold shoulder and then trudge off to brush his teeth.

Usually he would hop in bed, turn over to face the wall and pretend to be asleep by the time she came to tuck him in. But tonight, he had promised Emma to be nice, so he forced himself to mutter "Goodnight Mom" after Regina had turned off his light.

She lingered in the doorway for a second, unsure if she had actually heard him or if it was wishful thinking.

xxxxx

Worthington's Haberdashery was empty when Emma dropped by to order a uniform, per the Mayor's orders. "Do you have anything that isn't babyshit brown?" Emma flipped through the catalogue of uniforms.

The tailor's assistant pulled out another book and ran his finger down the index page. "Here we go…" He turned the book around to show her the swatches of color choices.

"Alright…" The Sheriff pointed to a photo of a uniformed woman. "I like the dark blue with black stripes; oh and I like that style."

The assistant made notations on the order form then came around the counter and took Emma's measurements. "Very good, Sheriff. The order should be here within a week to ten days. Is there anything else we can interest you in?"

She heard the door chime as the assistant was speaking to her.

The familiar voice responded "It's rather early for you, isn't it Sheriff?" The Mayor glanced at the order form and brochures on the countertop. "I _am_ pleased to see you can follow simple directions, Miss Swan."

_Be nice, be nice, be nice _Emma reminded herself as she turned and smiled brightly. "Good morning, Regina." She noticed the Mayor scowl before the poker face was once again firmly in place. She turned back to the tailor's assistant. "Steven thanks for your help. Call me when I need to come in for the fitting? And charge these to the Sheriff's Office, too, please." She lifted the paper shopping bag by its handles and opened the door. "Have a great day, Mayor Mills." Emma spoke over her shoulder. She could hear the tremble in the man's voice as Regina snapped at him for her dry cleaning.

The next few days quickly went by. Storybrooke was quiet for the most part. Leroy had gotten shitfaced on Wednesday night and Emma was called to the bar to take him away. She brought him to the Sheriff's Office and held him overnight. _At least he's safe here. _She thought as she unzipped her boots and lied down on the bed in the small adjacent room.

"Mornin' Leroy." She sat at her desk and watched the man as he woke up in the cell.

He winced and rubbed his head before slowly sitting up and growling. "Hey Sister. You got any coffee?"

She gently laughed and brought him a mug of the steaming liquid. He quickly drained the beverage and she gave him a refill. "Hey, Leroy?" "Yeah, sister?" Emma paused before plunging in. "What do you remember about Robert Manning?"

Leroy peered at the Sheriff then cleared his throat. "You mean little Bobby? Yeah I remember him. Disappeared if I remember right; they never did find him." Emma let him continue without interrupting. "Odd thing though, seems there were a few that disappeared all the same way. No body, no warning, just…gone. And you never heard nothin' else about it afterward. Doesn't that seem strange to you, sister?"

Emma tapped her pen on the table as she reread the report to herself. "Leroy…I've got some things I need to check out. You sober enough to go?"

Leroy looked at the Sheriff. "Just like that? No arrest or ticket?"

Emma unlocked the jail cell and swung the metal gate open. "Just like that…but Leroy, you won't always get off this easy, especially if the Mayor finds out." She shot him a warning.

He raised his hands in surrender. "Not a word from me Sheriff." And then he walked out of the office and headed towards Granny's.

xxxxx

"Are you certain, Sydney?" The low voice hissed over the phone.

Sydney gulped then answered. "Yes, Madame Mayor. She has been down there all morning and has requested those four specific papers."

The hiss turned into a growl. "Then figure out how to get rid of her before I figure out how to get rid of you!" Sydney felt the perspiration break out on his forehead at the dire warning, the Mayor was not one to trifle with even on her good days.

He skulked down the staircase and approached the blonde who was sitting at the microfilm machine. Her eyes flickered from image to image as she turned the crank for the filmstrip.

"Sheriff, I am sorry to disappoint you but those particular dates are not available."

Emma swept her arms at the room of archives. "You mean to tell me that of all the newspapers you do have, those four dates just happen to be missing?"

Sydney felt dizzy but knew that if he could hold his ground the Mayor would reward him, or at least not punish him. "Indeed. There was a break-in a few years ago and unfortunately those particular paper archives were on a microfiche that was utterly destroyed."

Emma rolled her eyes _Unfricken believable. _"Fine, I'll just have to find other sources then." She stood to leave, and then turned to face the editor. "And tell Madame Mayor that throwing obstacles in my way only makes me _that_ much more determined to figure out this mystery."

The afternoon and evening had passed without notice from the Sheriff. She had turned her office into a command center of white erase boards with photos, notes, and the highlights of each case bullet pointed in red erasable marker. She absently noticed that the side of her palm was coated in red as she wiped her hand on her jeans. She stood and stared at the boards, willing them to tell her what happened. She jumped when the door slammed and she spun around to come face to face with the Mayor.

"Miss Swan, your budget doesn't allocate for overtime." Regina had tried to hold her temper when she saw the lights of the Sheriff's office still on when she was driving home from the City Council meeting.

"Madame Mayor." Emma eyed her intently. "Until I figure out what the hell happened to these citizens of Storybrooke, I will work day and night to solve this." She saw Regina's eyes flash in challenge and raised her hands in surrender. "Don't worry, Madame Mayor, I'm doing this off the clock."

Regina's eyes blazed as she stepped closer and invaded Emma's personal space. "Sheriff, I am going to tell you this _one_ time." Her evenly measured words only confirmed that she was furious. "Leave this alone. Pack everything up and forget about it." Emma opened her mouth to argue but Regina cut her off before she could start. "If you can't do that, then consider yourself unemployed, Miss Swan. I expect the entire contents of this…" She gestured pointedly to the boards "….to be in office at precisely 9am tomorrow morning. That should give you enough time to clean up this mess." The Mayor had turned on her heel and left the building, slamming the door behind her. Emma could hear the squeal of tires as Regina raced away.

xxxxx

The scent of coffee filled the Sheriff's car as Emma pulled up in front of City Hall. She took a moment to glance in the mirror and straighten her blond ponytail. _Ok, time to play nice. _

Regina was sitting on the couch of her office, reviewing a file, when Michael's smooth voice interrupted her thoughts. "_Sheriff Swan is here to see you, Madame Mayor_."

Regina stood and straightened her blouse, taking a moment to check the mirror and smooth her hair. "Thank you, Michael…." She spoke through the intercom "….I'll see her now."

Emma passed the Mocha Grande Skinny to the Mayor's assistant as he nodded at the door to Regina's office. "She's in a good mood today, try not to piss her off for my sake?" He winked and she smiled.

"I never really _try_ to piss her off, it just seems to happen."

"Sheriff Swan, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Regina had sat behind her large marble desk and spread her arms in mock welcome.

Emma bit the side of her cheek and took a deep breath as she boldly stepped up to the Mayor's desk. "Here are all the files, my notes, the photos and everything I have gathered about the cold cases that you want me to turn over." Regina stood and reached to take the folders but Emma pulled them back. "One condition and I'll walk away from these cases and never look back. Tell me why you are afraid of me solving them."

Regina's eyes hardened. "Surely Miss Swan you know that I'm not one to be afraid."

Emma smirked. "It's Sheriff Swan and fear is the only reason I can come up with that would explain your insistence on me turning these files over to you. So talk or I leave." Emma placed her palms on the smooth marble desktop and leaned in towards the Mayor. "And have no doubt that I will dig until I get to the bottom of whatever is behind these disappearances."

Regina stepped out from behind her desk and went over to the small bar near the fireplace. She pulled out two small wine glasses and poured cider into the goblets. "Sit down, Sheriff." She indicated the couch near the chair into which she gracefully lowered herself. Emma cautiously walked over to the furniture, her eyes never leaving the brunette's.

She sat across from the Mayor, who pushed the wine glass across the table to the Sheriff. "Bit early for drinking, don't you think, Madame Mayor?"

Regina tossed the drink back and enjoyed the burn in her throat. "Not if I have to spend more time with you." Regina reached for the crystal decanter and poured herself another drink before setting back and talking.

"The truth is, Sheriff, that the person who was behind all the disappearances is no longer in Storybrooke; actually she is no longer on this earth." Emma scrutinized the Mayor, looking for deception in her words or actions, but found none.

"Then why did Mr. Gold give me these files?" She countered.

Regina innocently shrugged her shoulders. "Mr. Gold is very good at distracting someone. He might have known you would spend hours trying to solve the mystery, which would have given him plenty of time to go unnoticed by the Sheriff's Department. Miss Swan…Emma…surely you know that Mr. Gold is a powerful and sometimes dangerous man. If I were you I'd be more concerned about what he's plotting while you chase your tail." Regina sipped the apple cider and let Emma consider her words.

Emma cocked her head and leaned towards the Mayor. "So the cases were _solved_?"

Regina refilled her glass once more and nodded. "Solved and closed; every one of them. Unfortunately the records were destroyed, so you won't find much of a paper trail."

Emma measured her thoughts before speaking again. "Okay, then here's the offer. I keep the files, but agree that they are closed cases for _now_. But, if anything comes up that leads me to believe otherwise, I get free reign to investigate."

Regina smiled. "That sounds fair Sheriff. I just hate to see you run around wasting your time on something that was long ago resolved."

Emma's mood had soured by the time she left the Mayor's office. To top it off the heater in her VW had stopped working and the morning chill went straight to her bones. _Being nice sucks. _Although Regina assured that the cases had been solved, she felt that something was amiss. _Just have to be smart and make sure she doesn't know I'm still looking into things. _She tapped the stack of files that sat in the passenger seat of her Bug.

"Hey Emma!" Henry grinned as the yellow death trap pulled up at his house."Whatcha doing here?"

Emma gracefully slid out of her car and slammed the door closed. "Just come to bring you and your mom a treat." She opened the front hood and pulled out a plate of strawberries covered in dark chocolate. "I figure your mom can't deny you some chocolate if they are wrapped around a healthy fruit."

Henry peeked at the red berries and licked his lips. "Those look awesome, come on!" He took her free hand and pulled her up the walkway. "MOM…" Henry yelled once they entered the foyer of the house.

Regina appeared in the doorway of her study. "Henry please don't shout across the house." She then noticed the blond sheriff standing next to her son. "Miss Swan, what are you doing here?" She queried as her expression hardened.

"I found some great strawberries at the store and thought I'd dress them up and bring you a plate of them." Emma extended the plate towards the Mayor. "Think of it as a peace offering?"

Regina reluctantly reached out and took the plate from Emma. She nearly jerked her hand back when their fingers brushed, but maintained her composure and took the plate from the Sheriff. "Thank you Miss Swan. They do look delicious." She conceded. "Care to join us and share them?" The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.

Henry looked up at both his moms and smiled. "Really, she can stay?" He beamed as Emma nodded.

"That would be great, thank you Regina."

Henry carried most of the conversation as the threesome enjoyed the strawberries together. "…and he is so cute and lets me pet him. I think I've even taught him to sit. Can we keep him, Mom? Pleeeeese?"

Regina looked at Henry confused. "Henry, what _ever _are you talking about?"

Henry met Regina's brown eyes. "The puppy."

"What puppy?"

"The one that hangs out by the school. He's always there when I get out. And he doesn't have any tags or anything. I checked. So can I bring him home? He can live outside."

Regina turned and put a hand gently on her son's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Henry, we can't have a dog. We've discussed this before. A dog is a big responsibility."

He pulled away and looked at Emma. "How about him living at your house? I'll come over every day and take care of him."

She shook her head. "Sorry kid, your mom's right, a pet is a big job. Plus it's not really my place, ya know?"

She could see his face start to frown as Regina cut in. "Henry, maybe when you are a bit older we can revisit this topic. But for now, let's thank Emma for coming by. I'm sure she's very busy today and won't be able to stay."

Emma caught the not so subtle hint and acquiesced. "Yep, no rest for the Sheriff. Plus it's a school night so I'm sure you need to get plenty of sleep."

They moved to the door and Henry wrapped his arms around Emma's torso. "Thanks for staying."

Emma smiled and ruffled his hair. "Make sure you thank your mom, it was her idea." She turned to the Mayor. "Thank you for sharing your time and strawberries today with me. Have a good evening."

Regina found the smile came unbidden to her lips. "It was…nice. You have a pleasant evening too, Miss Swan."

xxxxx

Emma drove the Sheriff's car slowly around the elementary school the next afternoon, patrolling for speeders and jaywalkers alike. She spotted Henry and the scruffy white dog near the schoolyard fence. The little wiry dog did look cute as it gave Henry licks on his face and hands. _Regina's gonna dip him in hand sanitizer s_he snickered. Just then the sleek black Mercedes pulled up and Regina beckoned Henry over. Emma watched the Mayor wrinkle her nose when Henry got into the car.

Once the Mercedes had pulled away, Emma got out of her car and looked around for the little dog but it was nowhere to be seen. Shrugging she slid back into the vehicle and drove back to the Sheriff's Office. The message light was beeping at her desk phone so she promptly retrieved the message. Her uniforms were ready for fitting, so she locked up her desk and took her yellow slug bug down to the Tailor's Shop.

"Just a bit more, Sheriff, then we'll be done." Emma squirmed as the Tailor continued to fuss with the hemline. It seemed like forever to her until he finally announced that he was done.

She stepped down from the platform and looked in the mirror. _I guess the outfit does make the person_ she mused as she stared back at her image clad in the navy blue Sheriff uniform. She never thought she would be fond of wearing it, but she did feel more official than she thought she would. "Thank you so much, it really does look great." She noticed the fine stitch work of the tailor's adjustments to the jacket.

"Wow, you look like a real Sheriff!" Mary Margaret stated when Emma walked into the kitchen at home.

Emma grinned. "Yeah, it's actually pretty awesome, which is a big surprise to me." She shrugged off the jacket to expose her black undershirt. "I'm gonna go change so it doesn't get wrinkled. You have plans for the night?"

Mary Margaret wiped the counter down and smiled. "Yeah, it's girls' night out. You're welcome to join us!"

Emma considered a moment before saying "Sure, what the hell, I'll come."


	4. Chapter 4

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina (eventually)

**Disclaimers:**I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fanfiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed. This is unbeta-ed (any volunteers? ;) So all mistakes are mine alone.

**Chapter Four**

He walked along the back street alley, ignoring the broken glass, litter and dying weeds. The sun had set but dusk remained; enough that he could find his way easily to the unmarked steel door on the first floor of the brick building. The light in the upstairs bedroom window was still on, though the shades had been drawn, so he rapped on the metal door with the tip of his cane and heard the hollow echo of the knock. Inside, the woman rose and covered her head though black wavy hair peeked out from the hood. She walked the long hallway from her apartment living room to the rear garage door and threw back the three locks securing the entry.

He waited patiently as he heard the slide of the final lock. His overcoat and gloves kept him fairly warm in the chilly evening air, but he wished the woman would hurry along and open the door. Finally the door slowly opened on its hinges and the cloaked figure appeared. "Good evening, Agnes. I hoped to stop by for a spot of tea." He stepped into the dark garage and waited for the woman to relock the heavy door. She uncloaked her face and he followed her down the familiar hallway filled with old faded charts and shadow boxes of pressed flowers.

They sat in front of the fireplace, the small yellow and red flames casting little heat into the sparsely decorated room. She poured the tea into the cups and offered one to her visitor. "Mr. Gold, I regret that I have no more to tell you. The visions have been silent."

He waved her off and took a thin cookie from the plate. "Of course, of course, I merely hoped to enjoy your company tonight." They sipped their tea in comfortable silence."I do have one question though." Mr. Gold set his cup delicately onto the saucer and placed them on the side table. "I was hoping you could clarify it for me."

She eyed the thin man and nodded "I can only but try my friend."

A sliver of a smile found its way to Mr. Gold's lips as he unrolled the parchment scroll. "I thought there were none in Storybrooke?"

She leaned forward to read the words by the light of the fire. "Nor, did I …nor did I, but it _is_ what I saw. I cannot tell you its meaning."

He sighed, the weight of the day finally settling in around him. "I suppose not." He resumed sipping his hot tea.

His own skills had become rusty. In times past he had the gift of foresight, but in Storybrooke nothing had changed for 28 years. The future itself was held in the icy grip of frozen time. Now that things had started to change…he found that all he saw when he looked to the future was a dark mist of shadows and murkiness. Perhaps the oracle would see more, given enough time. Though he could not see the future, he could still start to prepare for it.

xxxxx

The noise level at Granny's continued to rise to the point that Emma had to shout across the table to get Mary Margaret's attention. "I have to pee. Come with me." She beckoned to the tipsy school teacher.

Mary Margaret stood and linked arms with a surprised Emma. "Good!" The brunette yelled. "I have to pee, too!"

Once they returned to the table Ruby brought the group a new round of tequila shots. "Drink up, girls, there's more where that came from." Ruby shouted as she passed the round and collected everyone's car keys. Emma fumbled for her wallet and pulled out a five dollar bill. She tried to hand it to Ruby, but the waitress stuck out her hip towards the Sheriff and winked. Emma blushed but managed to tuck the bill into the top of Ruby's shorts as the rest of the women at the table whistled and cat-called at her.

"Shut up and drink." Emma commanded as they all slammed their shot glasses on the table.

Two hours and eight rounds later Ruby announced "Last call for alcohol." Emma and Mary Margaret bid goodbyes to everyone before drunkenly walking home together.

Across the town, Regina sat alone in her kitchen with the lights off. She poured the last of the warmed cider into her mug and slowly sipped the hot fluid. The nights had been cooling off, indicating the sure arrival of autumn. The cider warmed her, body and soul, as well as helped to calm her always active mind. She pulled her robe tightly around her as she absently looked out the window and towards her now scarred apple tree. One of the few things she had ever truly loved was now as imperfect as Regina. The familiar heavy silence of the house was broken by a loud scream from Henry. She startled and felt her heart race as she ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

She rushed breathlessly into his room to find him huddled at the head of his bed, wrapped in his comforter. "Henry?" She asked in a low and calm voice as she cautiously approached the boy. "You're okay, sweetie, it was just a nightmare." She slowly inched closer in the darkness until she ran into the foot of his bed. Her knee felt a sharp pain at the contact but she ignored it as she focused on her son. His hair was disheveled, his eyes round and wild as he tried to regain his orientation. "I'm right here Henry. It's okay." She sat in the center of the bed and reached out for him.

The moment she touched him, he jolted, causing her to quickly withdraw her hand. "Mom?" She could hear the tremor in his voice. "I'm scared." He dove towards her lap, bringing the bundle of blankets with him.

"Shhhh, you're safe baby." She held him close and kissed his head.

"But he tried to kill me!" His voice cracked with tears. "You and Emma both were hurt and..and…" Tears gave way to sobs. "Please don't die. Don't let me or Emma die, Mom.

" She hugged him tighter and whispered "I'm right here, Henry. I promise I won't let anything bad ever hurt you." She felt tears fall at the thought of Henry caring if she lived or died. Even if he didn't love her, he still cared for her and it was enough. Soon he was calmed again and sleep claimed his body. She held him for a little longer than he needed, but not nearly as long as she wanted before she tucked his sleeping body back into bed.

xxxxx

The phone rang, waking Emma up from her deep sleep. "Hello?" She mumbled into the receiver. The phone continued to ring and Emma realized that she hadn't hit the Send button to answer. "Yeah?"

Regina pulled the phone away from her ear as the Sheriff cleared her throat loudly into the receiver. "Miss Swan did I wake you?" The Mayor demanded.

Emma growled as she tried to sit up. 'Yeah, Regina, you _did_." She glanced at the clock. "It's seven o'clock on a Saturday morning, what the hell?" She lied back down on her bed and considered throwing the cell phone across the room. _Be nice_. She rolled her eyes at the thought. "I mean what can I do for you?"

"I need to run an important errand this morning and Henry is still asleep. I need you to come over and watch him until I return." Regina studied her reflection in the bedroom mirror as she waited for Emma to formulate a reply.

"Uh…I don't have my car, it's at Granny's." Emma sighed. "But if you pick me up and bring me a cup of coffee I'll come over and watch Henry."

Regina huffed. "I'm not used to having conditions dictated to me, but since I have no other choice, I agree to your terms. I'll be there in five minutes."

Emma heard the line go dead before she could say goodbye. _Damn it. _She picked up her jeans and bra from the floor and grabbed a clean shirt from the dresser. She was nearly dressed when she heard the honk of the Mayor's car horn. She quickly brushed her teeth and hair before running downstairs. The horn continued to blare and Emma was sure the entire neighborhood was now awake thanks to Madame Mayor.

"Miss Swan, buckle up." Regina pulled out of the driveway and turned onto the quiet main street. "Your coffee." She pointed to the console. "I don't know how you take it so I just got it black. Be grateful you got it at all."

Emma bit her tongue and forced a smile onto her face. "Thanks for making it for me."

Regina eyed her passenger, noting the wrinkled jeans. "Busy night last night, Sheriff?"

Emma tried to smooth the jeans with her hands. "Yeah, girls night out and all. You know how it is."

Regina frowned. "Actually Miss Swan, I don't. My son had a nightmare last night. At least I was there to comfort him and not out partying till all hours." She pulled up to the curb and stopped the car. "I'll be back as soon as I possibly can. Try to not wreak havoc before I return."

It took Emma two more cups of coffee from Regina's kitchen till her brain started to function well enough to realize that the Mayor had left her alone in her house. With Henry asleep, curiosity got the better of the Sheriff and she decided to roam the spacious house and explore._Seriously you're just snooping She_ chided herself as she started in the kitchen by exploring all the cabinets. The kitchen was impressive and Emma inspected the toaster, wondering how long it would take her to dismantle and destroy it. She smiled at the thought of Regina's reaction to her impressive appliance demolition skills. The cupboards were full of seemingly healthy foods. _No surprise there _Emma smirked.

She _was _truly impressed at the spice collection that she found. Emma had really only used salt, pepper and on an occasional cooking whimsy, garlic powder. But Regina had an entire cupboard dedicated to bottle after bottle of herbs and spices, some of which Emma had never heard before. Coriander, Herbs de Provence, Marjoram,Cumin, Poppy Seeds and Cloves. Emma pulled out the cloves, unscrewed the lid and took a sniff. _Huh, I thought cloves were only good for smoking. _A few small brown glass bottles with hand written names caught her attention. Chervil, Mugwort, Laurel. She uncapped each of them and sniffed at the contents before placing them back into the rear of the cupboard. As she did, her fingers touched one more glass bottle, which she pulled out and examined. The ink on the hand written label had been smeared. Emma studied it closely before figuring out the word "Monkshood" What_ the hell does the Mayor cook with poison? _Emma shuddered at the thought. Torn between taking the bottle and putting it back, she buried it back in the cupboard where she found it, sure that Regina would figure out she was snooping if anything at all went missing.

The black Mercedes slowed to a stop as Regina parked the car in front of the pawn shop. The sign on the door read "Open 9-4 M-F. 9-12 Saturdays. Closed Sundays" Not caring about shop hours, the Mayor turned the handle and walked into the shop. She strode impatiently to the rear, hearing the shop owner clattering around in the back room. "Mr. Gold…."

The man was surprised, but quickly recovered as he turned to face her "Regina, or should I say Your Majesty?" He sneered.

She crossed the space and stood inches from the man. Her eyes blazed and her lips curled as she spoke. "Why did you give the Sheriff that file?"

Gold took a step back from the aggressive Mayor. "Ah, hit a nerve, did I, Regina? Well, I can't help that." He turned his back to her and continued to sort through his inventory. "I happened to run across the folder a few days ago when I was cleaning out my file cabinets. I figured the time was drawing near again and if she could solve it, then that would be one less tragedy to befall Storybrooke." He cocked his head and studied her. "Surely, Madame Mayor, I'd think that you would be as eager as anybody to have this put to rest." His smile faded. "Unless, of course, you are the one behind it."

She rose to her full regal height and snarled. "How dare you accuse me!"

Rumple looked amused. "No, dearie, I'm sure you would never dream of harming any of your citizens here in Storybrooke…" He feigned astonishment "…oh wait, you already have."

Regina felt the anger return full force at the charges. "And you think little Emma Swan is the person to figure it out? Really, Rumple, you have _such_ confidence in someone who is fairly inept."

Mr. Gold gave a pleased look and smiled before responding. "I've found her to be more useful than you could ever imagine. And you do know that forbidding her to research the cases will only make her want to solve them more? Perhaps you should have considered that before having Mr. Glass remove the microfiche in the newspaper archives." She glared as he continued. "Regina, you aren't the only one with eyes and ears in this town. Now if you will excuse me, _please_, I have to open shop for the day."

Emma was impatient to move on before the Mayor returned; she did a cursory glance at the other cupboards and the refrigerator, finding only standard kitchen gear and normal foods. She started out downstairs and was dismayed to find that every door in the entire house that she tried to open was locked, leaving her only access to the kitchen, the living room, Henry's bedroom and one empty bathroom. _God, Regina, paranoid much?_

Emma searched all the drawers, the medicine cabinet and even inside the toilet tank but there was absolutely nothing in the bathroom except for some lotion, hand soap and a hand towel, all of which were in plain sight. She checked on Henry, who was still fast asleep, before heading out to the garage. She used the lock-pick on the door, figuring that Regina wouldn't notice with the metal already scraped. The lock finally clicked and she opened the door into the darkness. She ran her hand along the wall, searching and finding the light switch. Light flooded the inside of the building exposing a meticulously organized and clean garage. Emma peeked into all the containers on the various shelves. Some contained Christmas decorations or paperback books _Trashy romance novels, Regina? Seriously? _Emma recognized a couple of the authors that she, too, had read. She huffed in frustration to find that the Mayor's garage was just like everyone else's garage, full of shovels, pruners, rakes and garden hoses. She systematically turned off the lights, relocked the door and closed it tightly. She turned to leave, only to find the Mayor standing on the front porch watching her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina (eventually)

**Disclaimers:**I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fanfiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed. This is unbeta-ed (great thanks to Pesterfield for catching the errors of my way ) So all mistakes are mine alone.

**Chapter Five**

A dozen thoughts raced through Regina's mind as she stood on the front porch and watched Emma closing the wooden garage door. The first was a certainty that she had locked the garage door, as well as every other door in the house. Then there were ten or so accusations she could throw at the Sherriff for trespassing, snooping and neglecting her son. The remorse of not being able to hurl a fireball at the blond also entered the mix; an action she would have surely used by now if there was magic in this land. But then, she admitted to herself that she had expected nothing less from the inquisitive Sheriff. Emma had always been one to pry; meddling with Regina's life, her family and her town as if there were no real consequences to her actions. Well this time there would be.

As soon as Emma turned around and saw the Mayor, standing on the porch with her arms wrapped around her torso and a glare on her face, she knew that she was so busted. _Shit _was the one word that replayed itself over and over in her brain. She waited for the explosion to come from Regina as she turned and tried to smile her way out of the situation.

Her heart dropped when Regina returned her expression with a perfect smile of her own. It was a smile that did not reach the Mayor's eyes. Regina kept her voice calm "Miss Swan, what the hell are you doing?"

"I was, uh, bored." Emma stammered. "And Henry was still asleep so I thought I'd work in the yard. Your house is immaculate…" She tripped over her words. "…so I thought I'd be nice and come outside…." She trailed off.

Regina quickly formulated her plan as she walked down the stairs and towards the garage. "Miss Swan, I had no idea you were into horticulture. And please, don't let me stop you from helping out in the yard. In fact…" A gleam entered the Mayor's eyes. "…I have just the project for you, if you have time, of course."

Emma jumped at the chance to cover her tracks. "Yeah, absolutely I can do a couple hours this morning."

Regina brushed past the blonde and unlocked the garage door. She grabbed a thin pair of cotton work gloves and a hand pruner. "Grab that wheelbarrow, if you would, and follow me."

Emma did as she was instructed, already regretting committing herself to two hours of work for the mercurial Mayor. She followed Regina to the backyard and further down the hill from the apple tree. As they reached the end of the manicured lawn a forest delineated the boundary of the Mayor's property.

"Here, look closely." Emma came closer to see what Regina was doing. "This is a member of the buckwheat family, an invasive vine that is taking over the trees. You should be able to make decent headway in removing it in two hours." She handed Emma the pruners and thin white gloves. "And Emma…" She purred as she spoke to the Sherriff. "..Thank you. I just haven't had the time to get down here myself and work on this."

Emma gave her a weak smile. "Sure, glad to be of help."

The two hours passed painfully and slowly for Emma. Regina had neglected to mention the rows of small, ridged barbs that hid beneath the leaves on the vines. Her gloves did nothing to protect her from them and her hands and arms quickly felt like pincushions with hundreds of scrapes and stabs. Her bare arms began to bleed from the shallow wounds inflicted by the vines.

Regina took her paperwork to the kitchen table and alternated between her Mayoral duties and the enjoyment of watching the frustrated blonde pulling at the vines.

Henry padded into the kitchen, dark circles under his weary eyes.

"Good Morning, Henry." She smiled at him and felt a small thrill as he quickly smiled back. "What would you like for breakfast today?"

"French toast, please." He walked past her and towards the window by the table. "Mom what is Emma doing out there?" He peered out the window at his birth mother.

"Emma came over to watch you while I had a meeting this morning, Sweetie. Then she nicely offered to do some yard work for me. Maybe after breakfast you can take her some water. I'm sure she is probably hot and thirsty." She flipped the French toast in the pan as she watched her son. His eyes lit up at the thought of going to Emma, but he managed to eat two pieces of toast and down a glass of orange juice before he raced out the door.

"Emma, Emma!" Henry's voice carried down the hill to the blond.

"Hey kid, what's up?" She grimaced and wiped her forehead, leaving a thin trail of blood on her face.

"Mom said I should bring you some water. Are you thirsty?"

Emma gladly took the plastic bottle and drank most of the liquid in one go. The effect of the coffee had worn off early, leaving her with a massive hangover headache. That, compounded by the pain of working with the thorny vines, had put her in a dark mood. "Thanks Henry." She threw the empty bottle into the metal wheelbarrow which was filled with long green vines.

Henry eyed her closer. "Why are you bleeding?"

She looked at her bare arms, now covered with nicks and cuts. "This is your mom's version of justice."

She brought the tools back to the house once she had put in her two hour sentence. She decided as she trudged up the hill that it would have been better to face Regina's wrath rather than deal with the physical pain she was experiencing. _Thorny Vine-1 Emma-0 _She rang the doorbell hoping the get a ride back to Granny's to retrieve her car.

Henry opened it up wide and grinned. "Come on in!" Then he whispered; a look of trepidation on his young face. "Mom says she needs to talk to you once you clean up."

Emma was glad she had a short reprieve before facing the woman. In the bathroom she gingerly washed and cleaned her wounds with soap and water. Patting her arms dry with toilet paper, she chose to avoid getting blood on the hand towel that hung next to the marble sink. She washed the sweat and blood off of her face then decided the hand towel could withstand some use as she patted her face dry with it.

Regina stood in the kitchen admitted to herself that she almost…almost..felt badly about having the Sherriff spend two hours clearing the so called 'Mile-a-Minute weed'. _Well they don't call it Devil's thumb for nothing. _She watched as the blond strode towards her before noticing the cuts on Emma's arms and hands. "Have a seat, Miss Swan." She pointed towards the table, which was set with three plates and silverware. Regina reached into the spice cupboard and pulled out three brown glass bottles. "I didn't realize that you would be so wounded. "Henry." She turned to the boy standing next to Emma. "Please go and fetch me some cotton balls and wraps from my bathroom." He nodded and took off at a run. She sighed, holding in the _No running in the house _that was on the tip of her tongue.

Emma watched as the Mayor took a kitchen towel from the drawer and two small glass bowls out of the cupboard before sitting next to her at the table. Regina started mixing drops from the different bottles. Emma could read the labels as the brunette set them back on the table. Lavender, Myrrh, and Comfrey were all written in the Mayor's fluid penmanship. Henry brought the cotton balls over and handed them to Regina. She carefully folded the orange kitchen towel, put it on the table and then gently took Emma's right arm and placed it on the towel. Emma anticipated cold hands from the Mayor, but instead found soft, warm flesh holding her limb. Henry watched closely, making sure his Mom wasn't hurting Emma. "Henry." Regina turned to him. "This might sting a bit, why don't you go hold Emma's hand?" His look of surprise amused her. _Maybe someday_… she thought…_he will know I have a heart_.

Emma braced herself for the sting of the tincture, but it never came. The scent of Lavender reached her nose as she watched Regina carefully dab the wet cotton ball to each of her scrapes. Regina stood and took another towel out of the drawer. This one was covered with a print of wine bottles and grape vines. She allowed the lavender water to dry before softly patting the arm with the new towel. She surveyed the arm and, satisfied with her work so far, added a thicker salve to each cut. She took Emma's hand and turned it over, making sure to cover all the punctures and marks.

Emma didn't recognize the smells of the goopy mixture, but decided it wasn't an unpleasant smell. _Bonus points that my arms don't hurt now._

Regina wrapped her arm loosely with the white bandage roll and tucked the end under one edge."Next arm Miss Swan." The Mayor insisted and Emma happily obliged.

The buzzer from the oven went off before Regina was finished wrapping Emma's left arm, so she stood and went to the stove. She pulled out a square white bowl that was steaming from the top and placed it on an iron trivet on the counter. "We'll let that cool while I finish up."

The offer of lunch was unspoken, but Emma was grateful for the homemade chicken casserole and salad. Her headache started to recede thanks to the copious amounts of water that the Mayor insisted she drink. They all cleaned up from the meal before Regina reminded Henry of his soccer game. "We will drive you to your deathtrap of a vehicle on our way to the game." As soon as Henry was out of earshot Regina's facade hardened as she faced the Sheriff. "And Miss Swan, I have plenty more Devil's Thumb vine that needs clearing if you ever decide to skulk in my house again."

Emma sighed _Just had to get that in, didn't ya? _She thought as she watched Regina's walls become impenetrable once again.

"Why did you help Emma out?" Henry asked his mom as they drove away from Granny's.

Regina smiled. "Well, she was hurt and I knew some herbal remedies that could help. I'm really not evil Henry and I didn't want to see her in pain or scarred up."He considered that. "Oh, and I need to remember to drop by the apothecary once your game is done. I'm out of Lavender now."

Henry brightened. "Will you teach me how to do what you did? Can I to come in, too?"

She patted his knee. "You know, I think it's time you learn how to heal. I'd love to teach you what little I do know."

His smile widened. "Awesome!" His mind was filled of ideas; from being able to help Emma to saving birds and fixing the sore on the white dog's leg.

Regina's thoughts ran darker as she remembered how she learned the art of healing. It was more out of self-preservation and desperation rather than out of desire to be a healer.

_"Regina, come out of your quarters this instant!" The shrill sound of her mother's voice carried through the wooden door. "I don't want to have to hurt you, but I will if you make me." _

_The young woman gingerly stood, testing her legs before walking to the door and opening it. "Mother, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you lose your temper." _

_Her mother huffed, annoyed with the girl. "You're not even dressed yet!" Cora raised her hands and Regina flinched. "Oh my dear girl, I'm not going to strike you." She laughed at her daughter. "I just was going to make you more presentable."_

_Regina felt the magic take hold and change her from her riding pants and blouse into a pale green dress. Her unkempt hair, unruly from sleep, had been transformed into a tight bun with wisps of dark curls trailing near her neck. She surveyed her Mother's work, dismayed to find that one cut on her forearm was still exposed. _

_Her mother noticed as well and Regina felt the magic power change the short sleeves into long ones that covered to her wrists. "Unfortunate…" Her mother declared. "..but it will have to do."_

_Usually her mother was careful to not harm her where the wounds would show. Her hips, back and upper legs were often marked with various injuries, but her arms, neck and face were spared. Often, after harming her daughter, Cora would come and work magic to help minimize the cuts. Sometimes they disappeared completely from her ivory skin. But though the wounds were no longer visible on her body, each one left an indelible mark on her soul._

_She had grown a summer older when Cora made a mistake one night and, in her anger, split Regina's lip. _

The Mayor touched her scar as she remembered her mother begging her for forgiveness.

_Cora had tried every spell she could find to heal the jagged split, but to no avail. She had only been able to staunch the flow of blood, but the wound remained a black and blue welt around the angry laceration. "Gah, no decent man will marry you with a scar like that. You need to go see the healer about your accident; your father will take you first thing tomorrow."_

_The wagon ride was bumpy; every little pothole only magnified the pain in Regina's cuts and bruises. She wrapped her dark green cloak around her, finding comfort in the silky texture next to her bare forearms. "How much further Daddy?"_

_Her father looked apologetically at his beloved daughter. "Not far, Regina, just be brave for a little bit more." He had stood helpless and watched as Cora marred their daughter's beautiful face._

_They pulled off onto a dirt road and up to a modest thatch roofed home. The healer greeted them at the door and welcomed them both inside. _

_"Thank you for seeing us on such short notice, Rose." Henry handed her a small velvet purse full of coins._

_Rose had Regina sit near an open window that faced east. The sun cast a bright light onto the young girl's disfigured face. "Alright, honey, I'm going to help get your lip fixed up if that's okay with you." Her soft hands gently probed around the wounded area and Regina trembled in fear of the pain. _

_"Yes, please." Was all she could squeak out to the healer._

_"Regina, how did your lip get split?"_

_Regina felt the cold fear rise inside of her as she looked to her father, who shook his head. "It was an accident. I fell down the stairs." She laughed self-depreciatively. "I can be such a klutz sometimes." Her father nodded._

_"Henry…" Rose turned to Regina's father. "Be a dear, fetch and warm me some water." Once her father had left the cottage, Rose sat and looked at the frightened girl. "Regina, I'm here to help you. I want to help you…but you need to trust me just a little bit." _

_Regina was torn between trusting the woman and the punishment her mother might give her if she did trust the healer enough to let her help. "I just want to see your back, sweetie. Can you show me that?" Regina decided to let the healer take a quick look so she turned and raised her shirt tails, exposing scars and scrapes along her lower back. She hastily pulled the shirt down to hide her shameful wounds. The healer had feared that the young woman had been abused, but she was amazed at the number of lashes, all in various states of healing, that Regina had endured._

_The healer went to the cupboard which was full of various sized bottles. She pulled down eight and brought them to the table, along with three small glass bowls. "I am going to try and be very gentle, and I'm sorry if it does sting a bit, but it will help okay?" _

_Regina eyed the woman and then the bottles before nodding her silent consent. _

_Henry had returned with the pot of boiling water. "Set it there, Henry, on the table." She stood and rummaged through a drawer until she found a ladle. She pulled the pestle and mortar from the shelf and brought over another larger glass bowl and a cup. "Henry, this is going to take awhile. You can go tend to your horses or leave and return tonight for Regina. Tell my son to come see me, I need his assistance."_

_Henry was elated at the opportunity to depart for a few hours. He had many errands to run before he returned home. And he knew the pain his daughter was about to endure. He loved her dearly, but it would break his own heart to watch her go through such agony. He took his leave, giving Regina a quick kiss on the top of her head before departing. "I shall return at dusk, Cora will expect us before sundown for certain."_

_Rose waved him off, her focus now entirely on Regina. "First, sweetie, let's have a bit of Chamomile tea." She ladled the water into a teapot and added the crushed chamomile leaves. She let it seep for a few minutes while she prepared the other glass bowls with various concoctions. Regina read the names on the brown bottles as Rose added and mixed them into the bowls. Yarrow, Vervain, Arnica, Comfrey. Rose poured the tea into small china cups and offered one to Regina, who sipped at it cautiously. The healer held the younger woman's free hand. "Regina, I'm not going to poison you, I'm not going to hurt you, I just want to help. Your mother knows that I won't harm you. She's the one who sent you to me?" Regina nodded. "Then let me do my job so your mother won't be unhappy with either of us."_

_Regina looked into the healer's gentle hazel eyes and took a deep breath. "Okay, I really don't want my mother upset either." _

_Rose smiled. "Then drink your tea, sweetheart, and let's get to work."_

_The tea served to calm Regina's nerves and the apprehension she had been feeling slipped away. _

_"First let me clean your face." Rose dipped a clean towel into the warm water and used the Soapwort to gently clean the brunette's face and neck. Once the dried blood was removed, the lip looked better than Rose had hoped. She carefully patted Regina's face dry with another small clean towel. She stood, found the corked bottle of white wine and brought a glass of it to Regina. "Chew on these Juniper seeds and sip the wine. It will help with the pain."_

_Regina felt the effects of the wine and her mind began to feel a bit blurry. She studied the healer as Rose applied the thick paste to Regina's mouth. _

_"Shhhh…" Rose quieted Regina who had started to ask a question. "…be still for a bit and let the medicine work."_

_The wooden door swung open and a tall handsome lad carried an armful of logs to the fire. "Daniel, I need you to find me some Ivy." _

_He stacked the logs next to the hearth and turned to face his mother. "Of course, I'll be back soon mum." He would later say it was love at first sight when he saw Regina, with her raven black hair pulled back into a braid, sitting at the table in his mother's house with the compress pressed to her lips._

"Mom?...Hello earth to Mom." Henry's voice cut through her haze.

She snapped at him, more forcefully than she liked. "What is it Henry?" He pointed behind them. "My team is on Field A today. You passed it." Regina sighed as she turned the car around and parked it near the correct playing field. Henry unloaded his gear and turned questioningly to his mother.

"What time will you be back to get me?" Regina mentally shook herself out of her stupor and smiled brightly at her son. "I thought I'd stay and watch you play today."

He looked momentarily confused before breaking into a grin. "Then I'm going to score a goal just for you!"

She watched the entire game, cheering Henry on when he had the ball and yelling at him to steal the ball when he was on defense. She tried to stay focused on the game, but found her mind wandering back to her childhood.

_Rose had pulled the final compress off of Regina's mouth and surveyed her work. "It looks better, honey. I bet it will just be a small scar when it heals." _

_Regina felt a tear run down her cheek._

_Rose touched her chin. "Regina, you are a beautiful girl. A small scar will just add character to your face. You will still be able to have any man your heart desires."_

_Regina smiled through her tears and licked her lips, tasting the salty wetness on her swollen mouth. _

_Rose handed her a small corked bottle. "The biggest worry now is infection. You have to be diligent and pour this on your lip three times a day."_

_Regina uncorked it and smelled the thick liquid. "What is it?" She took another sniff. _

_"It's made with apple tree and yarrow. It will help you to fight the fever, but if you get hot all over you make sure to come back."_

_Daniel had returned with a basket full of green leaves. He handed it to Rose and smiled shyly at Regina. _

_Rose sighed, knowing the look on her son's face. Oh Daniel, Your just a woodcutter's son, she's out of your league my dear boy. Rose ground up the ivy leaves and added them to the mixture that was left over on the table. She put the salve in a small bottle and wrote on the label before handing it to Regina. "These are for your wounds. Three times a day, just like the fever salve. I'm sorry I won't be able to see you before next week. But remember that if the fever comes, you need to tell your father to bring you back sooner."_

_Rose heard the sound of Henry's horses as he pulled up to the house. "Daniel, would you load Cora's order into the crate on Mr. Mills' wagon?" _

_Regina wrapped the cloak back around her body and thanked Rose._

_Rose pulled her into a hug and kissed her head. "Be careful dear, you need to learn to heal your wounds because your Mother won't always allow you to visit me." She pressed a scroll into the girl's hand as she let her go._

Regina focused once again on the soccer game, watching Henry as he kicked the ball to a teammate and then ran towards the goalie. The ball was kicked back to him and he faked left, then kicked to the right and scored a goal. He turned around and waved to Regina, who smiled and waved back. Her heart surged with emotion and she realized in that moment that she truly did love her little boy.


	6. Chapter 6

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina (eventually)

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fanfiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed. This is unbeta-ed, so all mistakes are mine alone.

The story contains use of herbs and tonics. I did a lot of studying before writing these chapters, but if you find I am doing something incorrectly, please feel free to contact me and tell me how to fix things.

**Chapter Six**

The familiar smell of herbs and spices in the apothecary shop were comforting to Regina. As Mayor of Storybrooke, there were few people that were truly kind to her in all of the 28 years of the town's existence. The bell had jingled as she and Henry entered the small storefront and she waited patiently for the shopkeeper to make an appearance. The Mayor watched as Henry eagerly began to explore all of the different displays full of herbs, bottles, diffusers and books.

"Madame Mayor, what can I get for you today, sweetie?"

Regina turned and gave a genuine smile to the woman before her."Hello, Rose, it's good to see you again. This is my son, Henry. Henry, this is Rose the healer."

Rose waved off the title given to her by the Mayor. "Henry, I'm just an old woman who likes plants and oils. I've never cured anyone in my life, but I'm happy to grow and sell to those who have the gift of healing. Like your mom here, she has a real talent for it."

Regina blushed at the compliment. "Henry is interested in learning the art too; I'm hoping you can guide us to some good books and basic herbs to get him started."

Rose looked down at Henry and grinned. "Young Henry you'll have a fine teacher in your Mom. Let me put together some supplies to get you started." Regina handed the healer a list of herbs and oils that she had run short of and needed to refill at the house. "Yes, yes, I think I have that right over here. Help yourself to some Chamomile tea while I gather everything together for the two of you." Rose walked towards the corner of the cozy shop and began rummaging in the drawer for the requested supplies.

Henry and Regina sat at the small wooden table that Rose provided for customers. Henry was so focused on reading a pamphlet titled _Basic Healing Remedies for Humans _that he missed the wistful look in his mother's eyes as she watched the healer move about her shop.

_Regina had diligently applied the balms thrice daily as instructed by the healer, but still the fever came and overpowered her body and mind. Her father went and fetched Rose, begging her to come to the house to help his daughter who was in the throes of delirium. The healer declined to travel to Cora's house, but sent Henry away with a bottle of All-Heal and Chamomile tonic. "Give this to Regina and bring her to me immediately. She will need to make the journey with you Henry. I'll wait up tonight until you arrive."_

_Cora was furious that the healer had put Regina's life in danger. She was outraged that Rose refused to set foot on the Witch's property. If she didn't need the healer so much she would have hexed her into a snail and stepped on her. She used magic to raise her feverish daughter into the wagon and set a ward around Regina so that she would travel smoothly to the Healer's house. Once there, the ward would break so Regina would be able to enter Rose's cottage. The healer was so set against magic that Rose refused to have anything to do with Cora or her dark magick._

_Rose was waiting by the worn door frame as Henry and Regina pulled up into her yard. She called for Daniel, who came bounding downstairs to help carry Regina inside the cottage. _

_"Lord, Henry, she's burning up! It's a good thing you brought her tonight or for sure she would have passed over." _

_Henry followed Rose into the guest room and watched as Daniel carefully laid Regina onto the bed._

_"Nothing more you can do here, Henry. This is going to take days, if we are lucky. If not, she will be gone in hours. Either way, go home. I'll send Daniel to fetch you when it's time to come back for her."_

_Henry gently kissed his daughter's hot forehead and then headed back to his wagon. Rose didn't wait to see him off before starting in on her task._

_The next three days were touch and go as Regina's fever broke, only to have it return with vengeance just hours later. Rose was exhausted as she sat by the teenager's bedside and tended to Regina's illness. _

_"Mum…" Daniel brought her a cup of fresh water from the nearby spring. "…Let me tend to her for awhile. You need to rest."_

_Rose sighed, not wanting to trouble her son who worked hard daily to make their lives bearable. She stood and patted him on the arm. "Only because I'm exhausted, Daniel. If not, I wouldn't burden you with this." _

_He nodded. "It's not a burden if it helps you mum." He took the damp cloth from her hand and sat down near Regina. "I'll take care of her I promise."_

_She gave him a tired smile. "I know you will, son. I just need a couple hours of sleep then I'll relieve you. Wake me if you need me." She watched as Daniel wrung out a fresh wet cloth and tenderly put it on Regina's brow._

_Rose took advantage of the days by tending to all of Regina's various wounds. She made sure Daniel was never around when she carefully pulled off the girl traveling pants to expose her scarred and bruised thighs. Rose made a variety of poultices to help sooth and heal the marks on her legs, her back and her stomach. She also made stronger salves to apply to Regina's ravaged lips. The lower one was nearly healed and wouldn't leave any sort of scar, but the top one would always have a thin crease to mark where the injury was deepest._

_On the third day, the fever broke for good. Regina was weak, but able to sip the warm soup and nibble on bread. She slowly sat up and was able to stay awake for an hour or so at a time. Rose stayed by her side as she dozed off, always keeping a close eye on the girl. Daniel would bring home fresh rabbit or squirrel and roots that he found daily in his hunting. He would sit with Regina while his mum gathered fresh vegetables from their garden. Regina stayed with them for another two weeks in order to gain back her strength. She also was intent on learning the basics of healing from Rose._

"_Regina, it's a beautiful day outside…" Rose brought a blanket and a book over to Regina. "And to be honest, my herb garden is in need of my attention. So, you come outside and keep me company while I tend to my garden. Here's a book about some indispensable healing remedies that you can start learning to make."_

_Regina relaxed as she sat in the warm sunshine and thumbed through the book that Rose had given her. She watched the healer as the woman would inspect various green plants, pick some of them and then put them in her basket. The afternoon passed quickly for Regina, who started to chill as the sun was setting behind the hills._

_"Regina." Rose helped the girl up from the blanket. "I'm sorry I got so caught up in gardening that I didn't realize it was getting colder. Let's get you inside and have some nice tea to warm our bones."_

_Chamomile tea was the first herbal remedy that Regina learned to make. Its medicinal properties were used for fatigue, fever and snake bites. Women also used it to ease the pains of labor. Regina blushed at the thought that, in a few years time, she could be giving birth to a child of her own. But then she scowled as she touched her scarred lip, Cora's words reminding her that she would no longer beautiful or desirable by others._

_Every night after supper she would learn from the healer as Rose worked to fill orders from customers. Regina learned how to safely handle the poisonous herbs such as Cowbane, Nightshade, Henbane and Hemlock. She learned how to recognize poisonous and hallucinogenic mushrooms. She watched Rose make tonics and salves for conditions as varied as stomach ailments, the plague and ones designed to ward off demons. Regina was a quick learner and after a few days Rose declared her ready to be a Healer's Apprentice._

_The horse pulled Rose's modest cart along the main road past the bustling town. She and Regina travelled, wrapped in woolen blankets to ward off the cold, until they reached the Earl's Castle. The butler lead them to a side chamber where a woman sat, holding a still baby in her arms. _

_"Esmeralda, how is he today?" _

_Tears fell freely from the woman's eyes. "His ailment grows stronger by moment, is there nothing you can do to help us?" _

_Rose reached for the rigid child and opened the blanket that had swaddled the infant. "Has he had any more seizures" _

_The mother shook her head. "No, he just lies here so very still." _

_Rose checked the baby's eyes and tongue. "Regina, fetch me the bottle of Nutmeg and grind it to make a thick paste" Regina quickly located the bottle and, using the pestle and mortar, ground the spice into a find powder. She added the spring water slowly until it became the correct texture. She handed it to Rose, who carefully dabbed it inside the baby's mouth. Regina put the remainder of the paste into a small jar and wrote the dosage instructions that Rose recited to her. She watched in amazement as the baby began to cry and move a bit. It was the first time she had helped heal another living being._

"_Rose, why hasn't my mother taught me any healing skills? I know she orders the herbs from you." _

_The healer gave Regina a sad smile. "My darling girl, always remember that there is more than one use for an herb. We healers use Monkshood very carefully for an analgesic. But it is one of the most deadly plants known, and many witches and assassins use its poison to kill others; same plant, different purpose. Regina, your mother has never been interested in the healing arts."_

"Madame Mayor, I think I found everything you and young Henry need. Now, if you want any other fresh herbs, it's best to order them soon. With fall coming, they need to be harvested and dried before they go dormant.

" Regina looked out the window of the shop and smiled at the healer's large garden. "Thank you, Rose. I'll be back next week then." Rose rang up the prices on her old cash register and handed the receipt to the Mayor. Regina pulled out the cash and passed it to the woman. "Keep the change, Rose. Use it to buy your seeds for next season."

Emma slept for part of the afternoon, but was awoken by the pain in her arms. _Damn it _She searched the medicine cabinet for aspirin, but struck out. In desperation she plunged her forearms into the kitchen sink that she had filled with icy cold water and waited for the numbing relief.

Mary Margaret padded into the kitchen and watched as her roommate added more ice to the cold water. "Hey, you okay?" She walked up next to Emma and rubbed small gentle circles on the blonde's upper back. It was then that noticed Emma's arms and hands. "Emma! What happened?"

Emma just growled. "Regina's what happened!"

The doorbell rang and Mary Margaret reluctantly left Emma in the kitchen. "Hello, Henry." She greeted the boy before noticing the Mayor waiting at the curb in her Mercedes.

"Hey Miss Blanchard, this is for Emma." He handed the teacher a round metal tin. Regina watched, disappointed that it wasn't Emma who answered the door. "Mom wrote instructions on it for her." He turned to leave, and then called over his shoulder. "See ya at school Monday."

Mary Margaret examined the tin, opening the metal lid to find the thick salve that filled the container. She cautiously sniffed at it, surprised at the pleasant blend of scents that it exuded. "Emma." She walked into the kitchen to find the blonde wrapping her arms in dishtowels. "Um, Henry just dropped by and brought this." She handed the tin to the Sheriff.

Emma read the instructions handwritten on the lid _Apply liberally to cuts and welts 3x daily. RM _"Oh, thank God!" Emma unwrapped her arms and began to apply the cooling salve to her nicks and bruises, immediately feeling the pain subside. "I don't care how evil she is, she gets points for sending this to me." She carefully screwed the lid back onto the round tin.

_Regina hid the book under her mattress as she heard Cora coming up the staircase. Her mother swung open the bedroom door and faced her child. "Have you been healing the rooster again?" She demanded as Regina drew back from the woman._

_"Mother, I need to practice and the poor bird was sick. Look…" She pointed out the window to the rooster strutting on the ground. "He's healed now."_

_Regina felt the icy grip of the magic surround her as she was raised towards the ceiling. Her mother's eyes narrowed as she spat out. "_

_The healing arts are for weaklings, people of lower station. I haven't worked my whole life to become a powerful sorceress, just to have my daughter be soft and weak!" She strode around Regina's room and collected all of the bottles and tins that the girl had filled with herbs. "Enough! If you want to use herbs, use them for the magicks, not for the sick." Cora left the room and Regina felt the magical bands release her as she dropped unceremoniously onto her bed._

The weekend quickly passed and Emma's wounds continued to heal. Monday she chose to wear her blue leather jacket even though the weather was sunny and warm. Her hands, however she had to leave uncovered so that she could continue to do her job. She drove slowly around the town, silently hoping that today would be a quiet day in Storybrooke. She drove past the pawn shop only to find Mr. Gold once again standing on the sidewalk, raising his cane in greeting. "Sheriff…" He walked over to her car. "What a lovely day. Whatever happened to your hands, dear?" Emma tried to pull them out of his sight, but to no avail. "Why don't you come inside for a bit, I might have something to help those nasty cuts."

Emma parked the car and followed the man inside his shop. "Come around back, Sheriff, I think I have just the thing for your wounds." She walked to the back of the shop and into his private office. "Sit, sit." He insisted as he opened a cupboard full of brown glass bottles and small metal tins. "Ah, here we are. Now let's take a look at your hands." He sniffed curiously as she reluctantly held them out towards Mr. Gold. "Interesting, I see you have been using one of the Mayors ointments. I'd recognize that blend anywhere. However, this will help too." He handed her a small tin of crushed flowers. Seep that in hot water, then soak a towel with it. Then just lay it on your hands to help with the pain."

Emma reached for the tin. "How much do I owe you?" Mr. Gold grinned. "I don't want your money, Emma. How about, instead, you play me a game of Chess. I've gotten a bit rusty in my skills and want to sharpen up. That's payment enough for the medicine."

"_Emma beat me again!" Her twelve year old foster brother complained to his mother. _

_"Then John quit playing Chess with her" The older woman shook her head at the two children._

_John had taught her the basics of the game, confident that the nine year old girl would never be able to best him. Emma, however, took to the game immediately and she practiced daily against herself. "Come on John, just one more game? Look, I'll even take my bishops off the board to start." She offered him the advantage, but still managed to eek out a win, resulting in another round of protests from the boy. _

_"You cheated!" He declared once again, as he did each time he lost a match._

_"No, I'm just better than you." She stuck her tongue out at her brother._

_Three months later, she was sent back to the orphanage as John had taken ill and his parents spent all their time at the hospital. She would have gladly stayed with them, but the State thought differently and sent her back to the group home. No chessboard was to be found at the orphanage, so Emma made one herself by drawing squares on a sheet of construction paper and rounding up paperclips, broken crayons and rocks to replace the normal pieces. She found two plastic caps from soda bottles that she immediately determined would be the kings on the boards. For the queens she used two shiny nickels that she had found on the ground; heads for white, tails for the black queen. She taught a few of the other children how to play chess, but as they came and went from the home, she found that she was her own best opponent._

_For Christmas that year, the orphanage had put up an artificial tree at the local store. Each child was given two ornament shaped papers that they could write their gender, age and a wish for one present. Emma used both of hers to ask for a chess set. On Christmas day there was one package with her name on it. She opened it and found a small plastic folded board, that when opened, contained all the real pieces of the game. She quietly examined each plastic pawn, knight, queen and other pieces before reverently putting them back in the case and snapping it closed. Her white baby blanket with her name embroidered on it and the plastic chess set were the only two things that remained constant in her life._

Mr. Gold's chess set was made of onyx and marble. Each piece was hand crafted with intricate detail that Emma admired as she placed her white tokens on the board. "Ladies first." Mr. Gold gestured to Emma. She studied the board and her opponent, trying to figure out his style of play and his strategy. She slowly took a pawn and moved it to the adjacent square. Mr. Gold did likewise and the game was on.

Patiently, each took their turns, planning out steps in advance; forecasting tactics that would lead them to victory. Mr. Gold finally made a grave mistake and Emma pounced on it. "White knight takes black queen. Checkmate."

She held the polished dark queen triumphantly in her hand.

The shopkeeper gave her a tight smile. "Indeed, Miss Swan, well played indeed."


	7. Chapter 7

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina (eventually)

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fanfiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed. This is unbeta-ed (any volunteers? ;) So all mistakes are mine alone.

**Chapter Seven**

Emma always enjoyed quiet Sunday mornings. Mary Margaret was an early riser and usually was out of the house and running errands before Emma woke up. Armed with the Sunday Daily Mirror, a cup of coffee and a bear claw, Emma settled on the couch and relaxed. The headlines were splashed across the front page _Enraged Cow Injures Farmer with Ax. _Emma pictured the ax wielding cow and wondered who proofread the paper, because they needed to be fired. She glanced at the Sherriff's Report and noted that Sidney had left out three incidents. _No wonder Regina thinks all I do as Sheriff is sit on my butt._

The obituary list was short with only three deaths listed, all from natural causes. _At least the farmer survived. _She had just turned the page to read the comics when her cell phone vibrated. "Sheriff Swan here."

As she heard the Mayor's silky voice she cursed herself for not checking the caller i.d. "Sheriff, have you had the opportunity to read today's paper?"

_She sounds tired _Emma thought. "Actually, I have. Darn shame about that ax wielding cow." Emma received only silence in response. "Oh come on! That was at least a little funny, Regina."

She could hear the Mayor clear her throat. "Perhaps it was a bit amusing. Sydney needs to proofread a little closer."

Emma's eyebrows rose at the rare insult being thrown at the brunette's pet editor.

"The funeral of Charles Pennington III will be tomorrow morning at ten o'clock. Most of the prominent citizens will be in attendance, so you are expected to be there, too. Oh, and Sheriff, dress in uniform tomorrow. We can't have you showing up looking like a bail bonds person."

_Be nice, be nice, be nice Emma. _"Of course, Madame Mayor. Would you like me to pick you up and escort you to the funeral?"

Regina was momentarily silent before answering. "That won't be necessary Sheriff, but thank you for the offer."

_I hate Mondays. _Emma cursed her alarm clock as its brrrrrrrrring woke her from a lovely dream. She slapped the snooze button and turned back over, snuggling in the warmth of her blankets. _Ah crap. _She rolled back over and sat up in bed. She silenced the snooze alarm as she rose to take a shower. Thirty minutes later she was dressed in her new uniform, minus the hat. Emma looked back and forth between the two hats that she had laid on her bed. A blue military style cap and the one she had dubbed "Smokey the Bear" were the contenders for today's outfit. She settled on the ranger one and put it in the waterproof plastic bag. She gave herself a once over in the mirror. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a simple braid and she had taken the time to put on mascara. She attempted to knot the tie but the results were sloppy. Still, she put the gold tie tack in place and decided it would have to strapped on her belt and added the flashlight, gun, handcuffs, ammunition, pepper spray and Walkie-talkie. _Pretty bad ass there Sheriff. _She gave her reflection a cheeky grin.

Regina sat in her black velvet robe at the breakfast table. She spent the better half of an hour reviewing the budgets and waiting for Henry to arise and get dressed for school. Her hair was nearly dry so she set the stack of files aside and retreated to her powder room. She loathed funerals, especially ones of people who thought they were the upper crust of the town's populace. This was _her_ town, her happily ever after, not theirs. She didn't care if they were kings or nobility in the other world, in this world they were mere mortals. _At least now some of them have the decency to die. _She thought of Charles, once a Duke in an adjacent kingdom, now the bank manager of Storybrooke First Savings and Loan. _Well, till the heart attack killed him She_ snickered.

She wore her hair down today with simple drop pearl earrings to compliment her outfit; a black pencil skirt, burgundy blouse and black jimmy choo pumps were quickly chosen from her wardrobe. She ran her fingers over the various silk scarves before selecting a grey one and wrapping it loosely around her neck. Her makeup was never sparse and today was no exception. She picked the lipstick tube off of the counter and focused on applying the deep red shade onto her lips. She rubbed her lips together and carefully wiped off a small amount that had smeared outside her natural lip line. "Henry, it's time to go." She tapped on his bedroom door before slowly opening it inward.

"Just brushing my teeth, mom." His head appeared around the corner from the bathroom and she smiled at her boy. He disappeared to rinse and came out, seconds later, ready for school. She dropped him off in front of the main entrance, returning his wave as he left the car.

Pulling up to the cemetery parking lot, she spied the Sheriff's car parked in a far stall with the blonde still sitting in the driver's seat. She parked her Mercedes and strolled over to the black and white cruiser. Emma was studying her phone as Regina approached the car. The mayor noticed that the scratches on the Sheriff's hands were almost healed. She tapped on the window, startling Emma. "Is there a problem, Sheriff?"

Emma gave her a small smile. "I think that's my line Mayor Mills."

Emma glanced around the empty parking lot before confiding in the Mayor. "I can't figure out how to do the tie right." She gestured to the material that lay untied around her neck. "I've Googled it, YouTubed it, tried to look at websites, but it keeps coming out wrong."

The Mayor laughed, amused at Emma's predicament. "Sheriff, stand up and let me help you before spectators arrive." Emma stood in front of Regina, who deftly flipped the material in her hand and tied a perfect Windsor knot. She stood there momentarily; hand on Emma's tie, before quickly pulling back. "I have to say I'm impressed, Sheriff." Emma felt the color rise in her cheeks. "You really do look quite striking."

"Thanks." Emma managed to respond. The blonde pulled her hat out of the bag and carefully placed it on her head. She checked her reflection in the car window before turning and walking towards the graveside.

The country club had been reserved for the luncheon following the funeral, so Emma drove the Sheriff's car and parked it at the far end of the lot so she could make a quick escape. The townspeople began to throng around Regina, giving the mayor suggestions for town improvements, inviting her to golf at the charity event the following week and, in Emma's opinion, basically kissing ass. The Sheriff was impressed at how skillfully the Mayor worked the crowd, gaining a better understanding of why Regina was chosen to lead the town. Emma had been sitting alone, enjoying her sandwich and beer, when an envelope was tucked under her plate. She scanned the crowd, looking for the responsible person, but they had blended back into the crowd. Carefully, she opened the small white envelope and read the message before stashing it in her pocket. _28 is the key_

The cryptic letter continued to nag at her for the next two days. There was no context to the message; no frame of reference to give her a starting point on which to go. She stood in the shower and repeated the mantra _28 is the key, 28 is the key _till she couldn't stand it anymore. Was 28 a mailbox number? A date? A measurement? She found herself scribbling the number on a notepad, studying the flow of the numbers as she traced them over and over as if, perhaps, the answer would reveal itself if given enough ink. "Alright, Emma, you're a smart woman." She gave herself a pep talk "You can figure this out." She started with a web search and began taking notes from the first site.

_28 is a composite number because it has factors other than 1 and itself. It is not a prime number._

_The 6 __**factors**__ of 28 are 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, and 28._

_The factor pairs of 28 are 1 x 28, 2 x 14, and 4 x 7.  
The proper factors of 28 are 1, 2, 4, 7, and 14 or,  
if the definition you are using excludes 1, they are 2, 4, 7, and 14.  
The prime factors of 28 are 2 and 7.  
The distinct prime factors (listing each prime factor only once) of 28 are 2 and 7.  
The prime factorization of 28 i or, in index form (in other words, using exponents), 22 x 7._

_NOTE: 28 is also a __**perfect number**__ because the sum of its proper factors (the definition including 1) equals itself: 1 + 2 + 4 + 7 + 14 = 28._

Emma wrote down the numbers 1, 2, 4, 7, 14 and 28 hoping that they would give her a clue, but the numbers mocked her with their silence. She glanced at the clock and stood up, tossing the notes into her desk drawer. She drove up to the school just in time to see Henry and the white dog about two blocks north of the building.

She cruised the distance and pulled up next to him. "What're you doing up here?" She shut off the engine and opened the door.

Henry's face changed to disappointment as the dog ran away. "Aw, you scared off Azor, Emma. The dog was limping, so I followed him up here. Look…" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small tin. "I made this myself. It'll help Azor's leg to heal."

Emma took the proffered can and read the boy's writing on the lid. _Apply daily to affected limbs. HM _

"Wow, Henry, that's really neat." She was genuinely impressed. "And you named the dog Azor?"

He grinned broadly at the blonde. "Yeah it came to me in a dream. Oh, and my mom is teaching me how to be a healer! Oops, there she is now." His eyes brightened at the sight of the black Mercedes by the school. "Hey Emma, want me to make you something?"

Emma smiled and ruffled Henry's hair. "Sure, kid. That'd be great."

He nodded. "Perfect, I'll see you tomorrow then. Gotta go!"

Sitting in the Sheriff's car, Emma realized that it really hurt to see him run off so quickly to be with Regina.

Emma sat on the sofa, trying to distract herself with television. But it wasn't working and she was tired of seeing the corny local commercials advertising Storybrooke's merchants. Mary Margaret had gone to sleep hours earlier as she had to rise early for school the next morning. Emma frowned as she thought back to her afternoon conversation with Henry. _Only a few more days, then he won't have to be nice to her anymore. _Emma comforted herself with the thought that Henry's allegiance would return to her once the two weeks were up. _Still_, she had to admit, _it's better than him thinking Regina is pure evil._

Henry dutifully completed his school assignments soon as he got home. His mom had dropped him off on her way back to the office. He tucked his homework into his backpack, finding the book of fairytales. He reverently ran his fingertips along the embossed spine of the leather bound tome. He pulled out the large book and went to the couch. He let his fingers gently run along the gold trimmed edges and randomly selected a page. The sketch that started the chapter was a simple composition of flowers, cut herbs and a pestle and mortar. The title simply read _The Healer_.

He became so engrossed in the book: copying herbal remedies, potion ingredients and recipes, as well as making an alphabetical list of herbs he thought would be of use that he didn't hear his mom come home from work.

"Henry?" She removed her shoes while she stood in the doorway, watching her son.

His head shot up at the sound of her voice, guilt washing over his face at being caught reading the book she despised. He gave her a weak smile and tried to cover up his writings and push the book away. "Hey mom, how was work?"

She walked over to the couch and sat next to her son. She put her hand out towards him, the unspoken intent was obvious, so he handed her the notes he had been compiling. She studied them for a moment, shuffling the papers carefully, looking for any medicines or potions that could be used against her. She found none. Her voice softened as she spoke. "Give me the book, Henry." He begrudgingly pulled it out from beneath the pillows, where he had tried to hide it, and waited for her usual wrath. "Show me what chapter you were reading." She gently prodded.

He flipped open to the chapter and slid the book onto her lap. "It wasn't anything bad, mom, I promise." He tried to turn the page to show her the information he had found about the herbs, but she held her hand firmly on the opened pages and began to read the story.

_The girl had asked the Healer "Rose, why hasn't my mother taught me about the healing arts? I know she orders herbs from you." _

_The woman sat next to the girl and rubbed small circles on her back. "My darling girl, always remember that there is more than one use for an herb. We healers use Monkshood very carefully for an analgesic. But it is one of the most deadly plants known, and many witches and assassins use its poison to kill others; same plant, different purpose. Regina, your mother has never been interested in the healing arts."_

_Rose took the girl's hands and asked for a promise. "Regina, your life is difficult. Gods only know how you have managed to survive this long. But give me your promise that you will never use the herbs and the gifts I have taught you for ill. My life has been dedicated to healing, and the thought that you would ever use them for harm, breaks my heart." _

_Regina's eyes glistened with tears at the thought of hurting the healer. Her voice quivered as she answered. "I give you my oath, Rose, that I will never use herbs or potions for anything dark or evil. Rose, I love you. I wish __**you**__ were my mother!" She felt the woman pull her into a strong and comforting hug. _

_Rose kissed the top of the girl's head. "I love you too, Regina, you _are_ a daughter to me, if not by blood then by love."_

"Mom, are you okay?" Henry peered carefully at Regina, who was staring at the book and running her fingers over the printed words.

She slowly blinked before looking at her son. "Henry, I want you to promise me something."

He hesitated and then responded. "Okaaaaaay…"

Regina let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. "This is important to me, Henry that you make the same promise that is in this book; that you will never use herbs or potions for anything dark or evil."

Henry smiled brightly. "Of course I wouldn't, Mom."

She turned and faced him, her voice somber. "Promise me, Henry."

His expression turned solemn as he spoke the words. "I give you my oath that I will never use herbs or potions for anything dark or evil."

Regina felt the burden and fear lift from her as he spoke the vow that she too had given long ago. "Great, then what would you like for supper?" She handed him back his notes and his book.

"Um, how about Granny's?" He asked hopefully.

Regina chuckled and nodded. "Granny's it is."

The diner was busy when they arrived, but Ruby quickly greeted them and found a table near the back wall. "This way Madame Mayor. Henry, how are things going for you?" They followed the waitress to their seats.

"Great! How are things going for you, Ruby?"

She smiled as she sat them. "Not too bad, kid. What would you like to drink?"

Henry looked at his mom, who shook her head. His face showed disappointment at being told no to a soda. "Just a milk, please."

The waitress wrote the order on her pad. "And for you, Mayor?"

Regina glanced at the girl. "Just water please, Ruby."

Ruby smiled broadly. "Gotcha, I'll be right back with those and to get your order."

Emma opened every cupboard in the kitchen, looking for something to eat. She stood at the opened refrigerator for nearly five minutes before deciding to eat at Granny's instead of making a bowl of cereal for supper. Regina looked towards the entrance of the diner when she heard the bell jingle. Her eyes narrowed as she recognized the familiar blonde enter the establishment. Emma looked around for a place to sit, but found the only available seat was at the bar. She greeted the other customers as she walked over and took a seat on the barstool.

Henry heard her voice and looked up from his menu. "Emma!" He scooted out of the booth and ran over to the Sheriff.

"Hey kid." She smiled as he hugged her. She had seen him and the Mayor when she came through the doorway, but decided to not interrupt them. She glanced over at Regina and gave her an apologetic smile. She was really trying to be nice to the Mayor, but knew that Henry's rushing to her would only serve to poke the bear. "Hey, Ruby's at your table for your order, you'd better get back there."

His shoulders slumped as he turned and went back to his mom."Henry…" Regina fought against her jealously. "Why don't you ask Emma to join us for dinner?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina (eventually)

**Disclaimers:**I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fanfiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed. This is unbeta-ed (any volunteers? ;) So all mistakes are mine alone.

**Chapter Eight**

Whenever Sydney Glass walked into the Sheriff's Office, Emma's suspicions automatically raised. "What can I do for you, Sydney?" She scrutinized the newspaper editor, searching for subterfuge in his actions.

"Ah, Sheriff…" He faltered before plastering a broad smile on his face. "I've had a stroke of luck with those records you were researching." He pulled a small computer disk out of his jacket pocket. "I realized that although the microfiche at the newspaper building were destroyed, the town historian possibly had a copy of the records." He approached her desk as she watched him, and cautiously handed her the plastic diskette. "It seems my hunch was right, Marion had a duplicate of all the files, so I made you a copy. I only hope that if there **is** a story somewhere in these cases, that you will keep me informed so I can report on them."

Emma took the proffered disk from the man and, turning it over, inspected the cover. "Yeah, if I find out anything, you'll be the first I'll call."

Sydney smiled and turned to go.

"Sydney…" The Sheriff called to the retreating figure. "Thanks."

He smiled again. "My pleasure, Sheriff."

Emma placed the yellow disk on her desk, and returned to her budget reports. Occasionally she would glance over at it, debating whether to put the square diskette in her computer drive.

Sydney had returned to his office, and quickly made a phone call. "It's done." He spoke once the line was answered.

The voice replied "Very good, now make sure to stay in the loop and keep me informed."

Finally, curiosity overtook the Sheriff and she slipped the disk into the drive. The virus program detected nothing, so she opened the files and quickly glanced at each one. There was more information about the disappearances than the articles Mr. Gold had provided to her. Emma ejected the disk and slid it into her drawer near her notes. _Tonight. _She decided that it would be safer to look into the cases from home rather than risk being caught by the Mayor.

Once home, Emma changed into a comfortable pair of black sweatpants and pulled a red long sleeve shirt over her white tank top. Outside, the wind howled, making the apartment chillier than usual. She settled onto the couch with her laptop, notes and a cup of hot chocolate spiked with Bailey's. As her laptop booted up she sipped at the beverage, feeling the warmth from both the heat and the alcohol. She checked her email first, but the inbox was empty, so she closed the browser tab and reached for the disk.

Each disappearance had only two things in common: A child or young adult just vanished and the parents didn't report anything suspicious or unusual before their son or daughter disappeared. Emma looked for patterns in the victims' names, their appearances, their ages, anything she could think of to tie them together. She checked the dates on each disappearance, cross referencing them to the files from Mr. Gold and the records from Sydney. She made a timeline of the incidents.

The first one, she noted, had happened in her birth year, and then, one year later, the second disappearance had occurred. The third was two years later, then the fourth three years after that. There was a break of seven years between the fourth and the fifth cases.

Emma started with the first case and marked a bold Year One next to it. Case two was tabbed with a bold Year Two. Case three received Year Four, case four was marked Year Seven. The last case was earmarked Year Fourteen. She felt a chill through her body as she looked at the timeline. Years 1,2,4,7 and 14. She grabbed her notebook with her references from the website. _28 is the perfect number. The sum of its factors equal the number itself; 28 is the key. _"Oh shit." She realized that this was year number 28. She drained the rest of her cocoa and then reached for the bottle of Bailey's.

She awoke the next morning on the couch, covered by a thick quilt. Her laptop and notes were neatly on the coffee table and her mug had been rinsed out and was in the dish rack. _Mary Margaret _she realized that her roommate had already left for the day, but not before straightening up after Emma. She glanced at the clock and swore. _At least I'll be on time. _She walked into the Mayor's office with two minutes to spare.

Michael grinned as she entered the foyer. "Hey girl." He greeted the Sheriff as she handed him a double tall mocha with whipped cream.

Emma tipped her head towards the door to the Mayor's private office, silently asking her assistant about Regina's mood.

"Should be a good meeting, she's actually in a pleasant mood for once." He really tried to resist the bear claw from the pink bakery box, but gave in to temptation and accepted the pastry.

"Good morning, Madame Mayor." Emma strolled into Regina's office and set the donuts near the coffee pot.

"Good morning, Sheriff Swan." Regina replied as she waited for Emma to make her a coffee and bring her an apple fritter. They had quickly established the routine during the required twice-weekly meetings. "How was your night?" Regina started the small talk as they ate their pastries.

Emma paused, filtering out the details of her evening. "Relaxing..." She settled on her story. "…just me, some hot cocoa and a bottle of Irish crème. How was yours?" The polite chatter continued until they were both finished with their apple fritters and Emma had refilled both cups of coffee.

"Alright, there's just one item on today's agenda." Regina opened her file folder. "And that, Emma, is to teach you how to properly knot your tie. Stand up." Emma's surprise was apparent, causing the Mayor to smile. "Come, on your feet, Sheriff." She handed Emma a dark green silk tie before placing a burgundy tie around her own neck. "Just mirror my movements." Emma tried to follow as Regina took the dark red material and wrapped, slipped, and pulled her tie into a perfect knot. Emma's looked like a sloppy mess, causing her to sigh.

"Patience, Sheriff. Let's try again." Once more, Regina's tie was the picture of perfection, while Emma's looked like a five year old had tied hers. Three more unsuccessful tries had started to test the Mayor's limited patience. She stepped close to Emma, invading her space. Emma tried to take a step back and establish a physical boundary, but the Mayor moved with her, encroaching on the blonde. "Give me your hands." The brunette ordered as she placed her own hands out to the Sheriff. Emma begrudgingly took Regina's hands as the Mayor slowly guided her through the steps of knotting the tie. The blonde found it hard to focus as the Mayor continued, oblivious to Emma's discomfort. The knot didn't look half bad, but the Mayor quickly pulled it out and took the Sheriff's hands again, guiding them through the steps.

Emma felt herself resist the movements, but Regina was strong and determined to win. _Alright already. _The Sheriff relaxed and watched as her arms were moved by her puppet master. This knot looked presentable, but again, the Mayor untied it and started over.

Finally, Regina was satisfied with the result. She sat back in her chair and ordered the Sheriff. "Show me how you do it to yourself."

Emma blushed at the apparently unintended double entendre, but managed to make a decent Windsor knot in her tie.

"Good…." Regina nodded her approval. "…next time I'll show you a Half-Windsor."

Emma looked dubiously at the Mayor. "There's more than one type of knot?"

Regina softly laughed. "My dear Sheriff, there are a dozen different ways to tie a tie."

The rest of the morning crept by as Emma tried to focus on the paperwork that had piled up in her "to do" basket. She flipped through the report files of a stolen bicycle, a house that had been toilet-papered over the weekend and reported as "property vandalism" by the irate owner, five speeding tickets and one more arrest of Leroy for public intoxication. The follow-up paperwork for all the petty incidents was the bane of her job. She sighed as she reopened the top folder and began to fill out the incident report.

Henry used to dither after school, putting off the inevitable arrival of his mother. He would offer to help Miss Blanchard clean chalkboards, wipe off desks, anything really, to delay going outside and heading home. Even the thought of Emma waiting to say hello wasn't enough to cajole him into leaving any earlier than necessary. But now, he could barely wait for the bell to ring before he rushed outside and looked for his dog. He didn't even bother to say goodbye to his teacher before heading out the door and looking for the small white canine. Today he was about four blocks up the road, so he ran full speed to catch up to the pup. "Hey Azor." Henry laughed as he ruffled the fur behind the dog's ears. "Did ya miss me this morning?" The dog licked the boy's face. Henry zipped open his backpack and pulled out the tin of salve. "Ok, let me see your leg." He gently took the paw and inspected the small wound before dipping his finger in the canister and applying the goop to the sore. "It looks a lot better now, so don't lick it off." He admonished the wiggling dog. Azor yipped and barked in response. "I love you, Azor." Henry continued petting the dog until he saw the sleek black car pull up by his school. "Ok, boy, I've gotta go. See ya tomorrow." He looked back once as he jogged back to his mom.

"Hiya, Mom." He greeted Regina as he slid into his seat and buckled the seatbelt.

"Hi Henry. "She smiled widely at her son. "Are you interested in going to Rose's with me?"

His eyes lit up. "Seriously? Awesome!"

She laughed at his expression, feeling her spirits lighter than they had been in months. The bell softly tinkled as the Mayor and Henry entered the small shop. They walked to the back door and out to the garden where Rose was tending the herbs. "Hello, Rose, hope you don't mind we just stopped in for a visit." Regina gave the herbalist a sincere smile, which Rose mirrored.

"Not at all dear, it's good to see you and young Henry again. I have the herbs you requested, Regina." She turned to the boy. "Young Henry, why don't you stay out here for a bit?" She handed his her secateurs. "You probably need more herbs too, so pick out a few for yourself. Your mom can teach you how to properly dry them at home."

Henry's eyes widened at the size of the garden and the variety of herbs. He pulled out the book and his notes, and referencing the pictures and descriptions that were written, he started to cut off some of the plant leaves.

Regina found great comfortt in the presence of the healer. The blackness in her soul seemed to lift as she and Rose sat and sipped tea inside of the shop. "Young Henry must make you proud, Regina, learning how to be a healer like his mother." They watched Henry as he worked outside in the garden.

Regina sighed. "He does make me proud, but it's been difficult of late." She confided in the healer.

Rose eyed the woman sympathetically. "Raising a child isn't easy, even the best ones can be a challenge. Not that I know first hand, having never had a child of my own, but I've watched many parents struggle with raising their children, especially as the child gets older."

"_Daniel, Mr. Mills is here to see you son." Rose called to the teenager who was out working with his horse. _

_He waved his acknowledgement to her, and then walked towards the visitor. "Mr. Mills, what can I do for you today, sir?" _

_The gentleman smiled at the strapping son of the healer. "I hear you are excellent at working with horses, and I am in need of a new stable boy. I came to offer you a job, if you're interested." _

_Daniel listened to the details of the horses out at the Mills' small estate, but his mind was focused on the chance to be closer to Regina, the chance to see her daily was too tempting to pass up. "Mr. Mills I'd be honored to be your family's stable boy."_

_Rose had mixed feelings about her son taking the job; he was still too young to marry, but someday he would be older and having a job that earned him an honest living would be a blessing to her. Plus, then he could easily provide for his wife and children. It wouldn't be a life of luxury, but it would be enough to get through the hard winters without worrying about food and heat. But the Mills family was a mixed bag; Regina, of course, was as much a daughter to her as Daniel was a son, and Mr. Mills was a nice enough man. But Cora, she was a different story._

_Rose and Cora, both daughters of humble millers, grew up together. They had been close friends, playing with their dolls, having tea parties and picking berries with their mothers. Their fathers worked together in the Mill and both of their mothers stayed home and tended to their children and their modest houses. Cora, with her black hair and dark eyes was a contrast to Rose's blonde tresses and eyes blue as cornflowers. The two were "thick as thieves" Rose's father was fond of saying and for many years the two girls were as close as sisters._

_But then, one day, Cora discovered an old book at the small store in their nearby hamlet. She hid the book, even from Rose and her parents, but started to study it in private. The Book of Dark Magicks was an addiction to her; as she studied the spells and imagined herself being able to cast fireballs, conjure up demons, create wealth and power wherever she went. She said the words and incantations silently to herself as she fell asleep, at meals and worked in the fields. She no longer had the time to spend playing dress-up with Rose as the book consumed her every waking moment._

_Rose watched, unable to fathom the changes in her friend, but found Cora quickly slipping away from her. The first successful spell that Cora cast had killed a chicken from a neighbor's farm. She took the carcass, as the book instructed, and created an alter for the blood sacrifice. Every spell, every sacrifice she made only made her bolder and more confident in her magical abilities. Each time Rose saw Cora, the raven- headed girl's soul had darkened and she had become more malevolent and cruel. It was the first time Rose had experienced real heartbreak, losing her friend to a dark force from which Rose could not fight. And so, the friendship ended with Rose swearing to never let magic, light or dark, touch her or her son._

_At first, Daniel was happy at his new job; his friendship with Regina quickly turned into love which she returned whole heartedly. Mr. Mills was a fair boss and gave Daniel many tips on improving his skills and abilities as a stable boy. Daniel managed to avoid much contact with Cora, his mother's fear of the woman influenced his actions and he had done his best to lay low when Regina's mother was around. But, in the end, he would find his own life sacrificed in the name of Magick, at the hand of the woman who had once been his mother's childhood friend. The failure to protect her son weighed heavily on her heart, but in her mind, her greater failure was not being able to protect Regina._

Henry came back inside the shop as the sun was setting in the western sky. His hands were full of carefully selected herb cuttings that he placed in groups on the counter.

Rose walked over to the counter and bagged each herb into small paper sacks. "Excellent choices, Henry, you will be a fine healer yet young man."

He pointed to a sketch he had drawn, based on a picture in his book. "Do you know what this is? I can't find a name for it."

Rose pulled the sketch closer and examined it carefully. "Regina, any ideas?" She asked the Mayor.

Regina took the sketch and recognized the plant. "Looks like _Aletris farinose _to me."

The healer nodded in agreement. "True Unicorn Root is the common name. But it's quite rare now and difficult to find, even for me."

Henry noted the name next to the drawing, satisfied in identifying the anonymous herb.

The door chimed as they were about to exit the building. Regina held the door open as Mr. Gold entered. "Madame Mayor, Henry, it's nice to see you both so happy." He stopped and closed the door, trapping Regina inside.

"Mr. Gold." Regina moved sideways to get around the man, but he sidestepped and blocked her from the exit. "Do you mind, Henry and I have errands to run."

He smiled, a tight thin line. "Oh don't let me stop you. Say, Henry, your two weeks of the deal are nearly up, aren't they?"

Henry's eyes widened in surprise, but Regina cut off his response. "Mr. Gold, to what are you referring?"

The pawnbroker looked at the Mayor in feigned confusion. "Perhaps I am mistaken. You'd have to ask the Sheriff, I suppose. Well, good day to you both." He turned to Rose and smiled. It was an expression she did not return.

Regina started the car and drove a block before she asked the question Henry was dreading. He had thought she wouldn't say anything, had hoped she wouldn't ask him. But, of course, she did.

"Henry, what was Mr. Gold talking about? And don't bother to try to lie to me."

He hung his head as he mumbled the answer. "I made a promise to Emma that I would be nice to you."

Regina considered the answer. "And why would she do that?" Henry tried to look away but Regina snapped at him. "Henry!"

He looked her in the eyes, but then quickly looked away. "'We're repaying her favor to Mr. Gold. I promised Emma I'd be nice to you for two weeks."

A tear trickled down Regina's face. _It was just a ruse. Damn Emma Swan for making me believe that she and Henry actually care about me._

Her throat constricted at the thought of the how Henry had pretended to be interested in herbs, to say words he didn't mean; how easily _I love you mom _had deceitfully come from his lips for the past fourteen days. She quickly drove home, her watering eyes betraying her, the roar in her ears preventing her from hearing anything her son had to say in his defense. The thought rolled over and over again in her anger and hurt. _Again, I have been betrayed._


	9. Chapter 9

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina (eventually)

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: To _all_ who continue to read my story and especially to those of you who take the time to write comments, or add my story to your lists, **thank you** so much. This journey in my mind is much better for me because I can share it with you

A huge thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, for finding my many grammatical and punctuation mistakes, and then quickly sending me corrections and encouragement.

**Chapter Nine**

"Code red, code red." Emma's Walkie talkie crackled to life with Henry's young voice.

Emma sighed as she stretched on the comfortable couch. _Come on, kid, not now. _She hit Mute on the television remote before finally reaching her arm out towards the side table; but the radio was just out of her reach.

"Emma, are you there? This is a code red emergency."

She rolled her head, hearing her neck give a satisfying _pop_. She leaned over, nearly falling off of the sofa, and stretched to reach the device. "Hey Henry, what's up?"

She waited, but there was no response.

He thought he had been careful; making sure his mom wasn't nearby when he risked calling the Sheriff on his radio. But Emma had taken too long to answer and he hadn't realized that Regina was now listening outside of his bedroom door. No words were spoken; she just strode in and put her hand out. He guiltily handed her the Walkie talkie and then she walked out.

Emma hesitated, unsure what to do. Henry had seemed anxious, but he always seemed that way when it came to Operation Cobra. _He probably figured out another character from the book that lives here in Storybrooke. _She mused as she tossed the radio onto the floor. Yawning, she glanced at the clock on the wall. _11:37pm. we are so busted, kid, if you mom knows you called me this late. _She unmated the television show and continued watching. Ten minutes later, the phone rang, startling her from her half-asleep state. She quickly answered it, but the line was already dead. _Ah hell._

Emma didn't bother to change out of her sweats and undershirt as she grabbed her keys, flashlight and gun on the way out of the door. _Can't hurt to just drive by their house and make sure they're fine._ She turned the key in the Volkswagen bug, and grimaced as it sputtered and died. _Come on, baby, I know its cold, but you have to start…._Finally the yellow car roared to life. She crossed the town in record time, but slowed as she started the drive up the Mayor's street. All was quiet on the cold fall night. Most of the houses were dark, their owners asleep or gone to work. Occasionally she would see flickering lights of a TV coming from someone's living room window. She slowly rolled up across the street from Regina's home and turned off the engine.

The curtains to the Mayor's study were drawn, but the slight gap in the material confirmed that the lights were still on. _Ok, she's probably still awake. _She waited a few minutes before deciding that nothing seemed out of the ordinary and that she was silly for rushing over to check on them. She looked one more time at the large house and saw a quick light come and go from Henry's bedroom. She waited and watched as the light flicked again. _What the hell? _This time, the light flicked on and off in a pattern; three times quickly, three times long, and then three times quickly again. It seemed familiar to Emma and she shook her head to clear her mind. The pattern appeared again from his room. _Three short, three long, three short…._it clicked in her brain…_Morse code .S.O.S. _She ran from her car and pounded on the front door.

"Regina! Henry! Open up!" She yelled as she pounded. "It's Emma, open up." She ran to the front of the house, under Henry's window. "Henry!" She flicked the flashlight to on and shined it at the glass. Within seconds, she could see him appear at the closed window, but then he disappeared just as quickly. She felt cold panic set in as she ran back to the front door and pulled out her gun. Just as she was about to yell "Police" and kick in the door, it opened. Henry met her with wide eyes and pulled her inside. "You have to help her!" She and Henry ran across the foyer and to the Mayor's study. Regina sat at her desk, sobbing, with an empty decanter, a heavy glass still half full of cider, her son's Walkie talkie and a knife.

The brunette looked up as she heard the noise of running in her house. She tried to stand, but her legs gave way beneath her and she slumped back in her chair. Her entire demeanor changed when she saw the two traitors standing together in the doorway. A fleeting look of pain passed over her before her face turned to total fury. "Get the fuck out of my house, you bitch!" She picked up the radio and hurled it at Emma.

The Sheriff was caught off guard, but managed to dodge the radio as it sailed past her and slammed into a chair. This time the Mayor managed to get on her feet, wielding the knife.

"Regina…" Emma pushed Henry behind her for safety as she pulled her gun. "…drop the knife."

Regina looked momentarily confused before raising her hand and noticing she had a weapon. Her lip curled in contempt for the woman who stood before her, Emma's gun pointed at the Mayor's heart. "I said drop it, Regina."

The Mayor tossed the knife aside, hearing it clatter on the hard floor. "Go ahead and shoot me, Sheriff." She screamed; her voice hoarse from crying. "That's what you want to do. Just do it!"

Henry's frightened voice entered the fray. "Mom…" He sobbed. "No!"

Emma slowly lowered her weapon and slid the safety back to _on. _She holstered her weapon and raised both hands in a truce."Regina, I don't want to hurt you, I'm just here to help." She took a step towards the Mayor; Henry still hiding behind her.

"Help?" Regina yelled incredulously. "And just how do you think lying to me and manipulating my son for two weeks has helped?"

Emma's eyes widened in dismay as she realized that Regina knew about the deal with Mr. Gold. Her breath was stolen from her throat and she found she couldn't speak.

Regina broke the silence by throwing the wine glass to the floor and chucking the glass bottle at the nearest mirror. "Fuck you! You made me feel again. I _hate_ you! Both of you get the _hell _out of my house."

Henry hesitated, unsure what to do. His fear gave way to sobbing as he stood and watched his mom come undone. Regina took everything from her desktop and swept it onto the floor. The noise snapped Emma out of her stupor and she looked around the room for anything Regina could use to hurt herself or them. Finding nothing in Regina's immediate vicinity, she quickly unholstered her gun and removed the magazine. She sat the unloaded gun down on the table behind her and then put the magazine in her pocket. She could see Regina shaking, the tears rolling down the Mayor's face.

"Regina, look at me." She crept towards the Mayor, watching the brunette as she slowly moved forward to her. She was just steps away when the Mayor stepped up and swung at the Sheriff. Emma caught Regina's arm and tried to twist it behind the Mayor's back, but Regina struggled, her rage fueling her strength. They dropped to the ground in a battle of wills, but Emma finally got the upper hand. Regina tried to crawl away, but Emma shifted and wrapped her arms firmly around the brunette. She could feel the Mayor sobbing again as she firmly held her in her arms.

Henry watched the tussle from the doorway; his tears fell freely as he heard the sobs coming from his mother. "Emma, help her." He sat on his haunches and wrapped his arms around his legs.

Emma glanced over to the boy as she felt the fight go out of Regina. "She's going to be okay, Henry. You're both safe." She turned her attention back to the Mayor and loosened her grip on the petite woman. Emma slowly stroked the brunette's hair and pressed her lips against Regina's crown. "It wasn't an act, I swear. Henry loves you." She gently rocked the quiet woman. "Yes, at first it was a deal with Mr. Gold, but that changed and we both…" She cocked her head to Henry and he came and lay next to his mom. "…we both care about you, Regina."

It was then she realized that the Mayor had passed out, she and Henry worked together to gently move the sleeping Regina to a couch. They laid her down with a small round pillow beneath her head. "Henry, go grab a blanket for your mom." He ran upstairs and came back down with a down blanket. "Ok, time to let her sleep, let's get you into bed."

She went quietly upstairs with Henry, helped him wash his tear-stained face and then tucked him into bed. Emma sat next to him and stroked his hair. "It's gonna be okay, Henry, but we really hurt your mom's feelings. We'll find some way to make her see how sorry we are, okay?"

Henry looked at the blonde and gave a half-hearted smile. "Maybe…" He said. "…the answer's in my book."

Emma walked back into the study, after making sure that Henry was settled for the night. The guilt washed over her as she saw the damage she had caused Regina. The Mayor shifted slightly and moaned in her sleep.

_Gonna have one hell of a hangover tomorrow, Regina. _She checked to see that the brunette was soundly sleeping before she started picking up the mess. Each shard of glass, broken on the hard floor, reminded her of just how fragile trust was between two people.

She spoke softly to the woman on the couch as she continued to pick up the shattered remains of Regina's study. "I am so sorry, Regina; you have no idea." She felt the tears prick at her eyes as she carefully swept up the ruined crystal decanter that Emma had seen the Mayor often use to dispense her apple cider. The ornate cut class had busted and dispersed yards from the desk. She cut her thumb on one of the larger remnants and stuck the digit in her mouth to stop the stinging. _Just a shallow cut_ she noted as the blood quickly stopped. Her heart grew heavier as she picked up the framed picture of Henry, the glass now broken in a star pattern, the frame badly cracked. _You are an idiot, Emma. You thought she was so fierce, that she had no heart. Well look at her now. _She glanced over at the disheveled woman; her hair wild from the fight, dark circles under her closed, puffy eyes. _You thought she was the devil. _For two hours she swept and wiped and cleaned the room until it was its usual level of tidiness. Emma was so tired, her body craved sleep, but her heart refused to let her leave with so many walls between her and the sleeping woman. She went and sat on the floor next to the couch; Regina's arm had dropped down near the blonde, so Emma gently took the Mayor's hand and held it.

"I know how hard it is to trust someone." She gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Hell, I've only trusted one or two people my entire life." The Mayor's even breathing assured Emma that Regina was soundly asleep so she bravely bared her soul. "Then Henry came and found me and brought me here…to this odd little town that you rule with an iron fist and a scowl." She stroked her fingers lightly over the back of the Mayor's hand. "And it's only been a few months but I already feel like this is where I belong. But you were so spiteful to me, so bitter at my mere existence, that in my mind, you became the enemy. The 'Evil Queen' that Henry insisted you were." She let her hand trail up to Regina's forearm as she continued talking in hushed tones. "And I had made a deal with Mr. Gold, but I had to, and then I _owed_ him a favor. So when he asked that Henry and I be nice to you, well…the truth is, it gave me a reason to really try and see if there was any _good_ inside of you."

The tears ran freely down Emma's face and she made no effort to wipe them as they dripped onto her sweatpants. "And what I found was a smart, strong, independent woman who knew what she wanted and protected what was hers. Someone who started to smile when she saw me in her office with apple fritters and coffee." Emma finally wiped her stuffy nose with her sleeve. "Do you know how long it's been since I've made a friend? I've lived with just _me_ for so long that I forgot how to let another person in my life. I mean, you're the woman who's raising the child I gave birth to. Henry's the only family I've ever had and I just wanted to make sure he's alright. But I'm not ready to be a mom, I know that. And the better I got to know you, the more I realized that you're doing a better job than I could ever do."

She shifted on the floor so that she was lying down, the brunette's hand still firmly in hers. "I'm a runner; you made that perfectly clear that you knew I wouldn't stay here for long. It's so hard to not pack up and just leave. But I owe you more than that; you don't deserve to have to wonder if Henry loves you, because he does. He can't see it right now, but he's just a little boy who can't appreciate all you give him. If I'd had a mom like you, maybe I would have turned out better, who knows? And he's been so proud of all you have taught him with the herbs and stuff." She felt the energy drain from her already weary body; her speech became slower, more slurred until she finally uttered. "I'm so sorry." And fell deeply asleep.

The morning sun shone through the slit in the window shades, casting a sharp line of light on the sleeping Emma. She turned her head away from the light, only to find herself face to face with the couch. Every muscle ached from sleeping on the hardwood floor; she stretched her back and slowly opened her eyes. _Regina's house. _She realized where she was and quickly looked up. Though the Mayor was still sleeping, her leg had dropped off of the couch when Regina had turned over in the night, and now was lying on top of Emma's stomach. _Oh crap._Emma tried to quietly extricate herself from the appendage, only to have a firm hand reach down and stop her.

"Don't. Move." The dark, sleepy voice commanded from the couch.

Emma held her breath as she waited for Regina to fully wake up. The Mayor started by slowly removing her leg from the Sheriff's supine body and pulling it back under the blanket on the couch. Emma missed the body heat immediately; her own sweats were inadequate against the morning chill.

"Miss Swan." Regina's voice was void of any warmth as she spoke in slow, careful measures. "I'm not even going to ask why you're here, in my home, sleeping next to me in my study. But you have two minutes to get out of my house before I kick your ass."


	10. Chapter 10

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina (eventually)

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: To _all_ who continue to read my story and especially to those of you who take the time to write comments, or add my story to your lists, **thank you** so much. This journey in my mind is much better for me because I can share it with you

A huge thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, for finding my many grammatical and punctuation mistakes, and then quickly sending me corrections and encouragement.

**Chapter Ten**

Emma sat at her desk in the quiet Sheriff's Office. The town, as usual, was boringly still. She had considered going to Granny's for coffee, but the idea of seeing other people right now made her queasy. She hated screwing up, she always had; her time in the foster care system had taught her that the more you messed up, the worse things were for you. Whether that meant physical punishment carefully doled out by abusive caretakers or simply being ignored more and more until you became invisible, even to yourself. By the time she was sixteen, DCFS, the state's foster agency, had deemed Emma to be a flight risk. Her last assigned home had been one of the worst and when she ran from it, pregnant, thanks to the man who was paid to be her foster dad, the police had hunted her down. She remained in juvenile hall until the day she turned eighteen and was legally an adult; she hitchhiked her way to Florida the next day. The baby she had given birth to while still incarcerated was, to her, just another example of how she had screwed up.

Michael knew it would be a bad day at the Mayor's Office when his boss walked in that morning wearing large sunglasses that completely covered her eyes. He had only seen that fashion choice once before, when the former Sheriff had died. "Good Morning, Madame Mayor. Here are your messages." She went straight into her inner sanctum without any acknowledgement of her assistant. _Oh hell, here we go. _He stood up and straightened his tie before knocking on the door to her office.

"Go away, Michael." He grimaced, knowing that his day had just become much longer.

"I'm sorry, Madame Mayor, I can't do that. You have a town to run and a meeting in 22 minutes with the town Treasurer. Do you want coffee or tea this morning?" His answer was a long silence. _At least she didn't throw anything. _"Ok, I'm coming in to make you some coffee. No fair throwing your cup at me again." He took the spare key and quickly unlocked the door. Closing and locking it behind him, he padded over to the empty coffee maker and started a new pot of java. As the brown liquid started to stream into the pot below, he opened the cupboard above and pulled out a clean white hand towel. He doused the cloth in cold water from the small sink to his left and rung it out. Fresh hot coffee in one hand, folded cool towel in the other, he finally approached the Mayor.

She sat, facing away from him, looking out the far window. "Regina." He gently called her out of her daze. "Drink this." He sat the cup down on her desk as he walked around to face her. "Now, put this over your eyes so the puffiness goes down." She wordlessly took the offered towel and covered her bloodshot eyes."Now, sweetie, I don't know what happened, and I know you don't want to talk to me about it, but at least let me help you do your job today."

Regina sighed and nodded.

"Good, so do you want me to cancel the Treasurer?"

The mayor shook her head.

"Do you want me to cancel the Sheriff's meeting?"

Regina vigorously nodded.

"Do you want me to kick her butt for you?"

He saw the small smile creep on the Mayor's face before she shook her head.

"Ok, good, because I think the girl could take me down." He sat in the chair opposite of Regina's desk and waited patiently for her to move onward on her own.

Five minutes of silence past before she pulled the towel away from her face and handed it over to him. She stood and looked in the mirror, taking in her broken expression. With skill borne from decades of practice, she let the familiar façade slip into place. A calm emptiness replaced the hurt in her eyes; the lines on her forehead disappeared, safely hidden behind the mask. She neatly applied her lipstick, smoothed and straightened her jacket. To the entire world she would look as they always saw her; controlled, unruffled and impenetrable. Turning to her assistant, she nodded. "Thank you, Michael. I'll see the Treasurer when he arrives. That will be all." He smiled and returned to his desk, mission accomplished.

Emma had received Michael's message that Regina had postponed their meeting, but she was determined to see the woman and to make amends. She walked into the Mayor's office foyer with a large bouquet of flowers along with the pink box of pastries.

Michael saw her coming, so he stood and blocked the door to the Mayor's inner office. "Sheriff, I'm sorry, but the Mayor really doesn't want to see you today." Emma strode towards the man, but he stood his ground. "Your next appointment is in two days, I recommend you come back then."

She smiled at him, and tried to lure him with pastries. "Come on Michael, I just need to see her." She hated to beg, but she did as she opened the pink box and showed him the donuts.

He glanced at the pastries before facing her once more. "Not today, Emma."

She let her irritation show at his refusal to grant her access. "Fine. Will you make sure she gets these then?" She thrust the bouquet at him before tossing the pink box onto his desk.

Once she had left, Michael did a quick double tap on the Mayor's door. It quickly opened as Regina peeked out. "She's gone, Madame Mayor. But she sent you these." He held out the flowers to her.

"Throw them in the trash."

He looked at her and grinned. "Now you know I won't waste these beautiful flowers just because you're mad at the woman who sent them. Do you want me to read you the card?" Regina snatched the small envelope out of his hands and shut the door behind her. He set to making smaller arrangements out of the large variety from Emma's rejected gift. Crystal vases full of color were sat around the office, a contrast to the black and whites that the Mayor preferred. _Thank God it's Friday._

Henry waited with his dog for thirty minutes after school was released. Neither his mom nor Emma had shown up to give him a ride home.

Mary Margaret spied the boy as she was walking home, so she turned and walked up to him. As usual, the dog ran away. "Hey Henry, where's your mom?"

Henry just shrugged. "She's kinda mad at me, Miss Blanchard. I messed up bad."

She knelt next to the boy. "Badly, Henry, not bad. Still, she didn't show up to get you?"

He shook his head.

"Alright." She continued. "Let's call her and see where she is, okay?"

He screwed his expression, grimacing at the idea of having to face his mom if she was pissed. The drive to school had been a slow, silent ride and he was in no hurry to replay it.

"Hello, Michael." He heard his teacher speak. "Yes, I have Henry here at the school. Will his mother be picking him up today? Okay, yes, I see. No, I understand. Yes, she is a very busy woman, of course. Alright, I'll try there, thank you." She smiled at Henry. "Michael said to call Emma for a ride today." She expected Henry to be joyous at the idea of spending time with the blonde, so she was surprised when he frowned at the idea.

"We better not, Miss Blanchard. I don't want to give my mom any more reasons to be mad at me. I'll just walk home; it's not too far." He picked up his backpack and headed towards his house.

His homework dutifully completed, Henry awaited his mom's arrival with a mix of dread and guilt. The pit in his stomach had grown since yesterday when Mr. Gold confronted him at Rose's Apothecary Shop; it only worsened when his mom caught him trying to call Emma. Then all hell had broken loose in his world as he watched his mom come undone. Even Emma's reassurances had done little to make him feel better about the whole ordeal. He hopped off of his bed, feeling the need to do something, _anything_ to keep busy. He pulled out a piece of white copy paper and began to make a card. He tried to sketch some of the herbs from his memory and filled them in with his colored pencils. Inside, he had written _Mom, I'm very very very sorry. I DO love you and I wish you could be happy with me. Love, Your Son, Henry. _He added more shading to the edges of the stems and leaves, trying to make each herb look realistic.

Finishing up, he folded the card in half and then he walked into her room and placed the card on her pillow. Henry sat on his mother's bed and looked around at the room. He didn't often have a need to come into her bedroom, she only retired there at night long after he was asleep and she was always awake before him. The room was like no other in their home. Whereas the rest of the house was modern with marble and dark woods, all sharp angles and hard, his mother's bedroom was old-fashioned with softness to the wallpaper and rounded oak furniture. He touched the bedspread that covered her bed and decided to just lie down and wait for her to come home.

"Henry." Regina opened the front door and instinctively called out for her son. A brief flash of worry crossed her face when he didn't answer her, but then she spied his backpack sitting neatly on the floor. The guilt she felt at not picking him up from school had nagged at her all afternoon, but she would be damned if she was going to give into it. She was sure his precious _Emma_ had come to his rescue and driven him home. She walked past his backpack and up the stairs to his room, but it was empty. Her forehead creased in concern as she walked to her own room. There, asleep on her bed was her son, his feet carefully placed off the edge so that his shoes didn't dirty the linens. She fought internally between the hurt and the anger she felt, but found that it wasn't directed at Henry. She looked past him to the card he had made for her; she read it over and over, her fingers running over the penciled sketches and words. She wanted to believe them, to trust Henry; to forgive him._ But I don't know how. _Despite the dark thought, she slipped off her shoes and laid next to her child, finding a small comfort in her soul as she ruffled his hair until she was asleep.

The bell to the pawn shop tinkled while Mr. Gold was sitting in his private area, counting the money from the business day. "We're closed." He called from the back, not wanting to leave the money unattended. His keen hearing picked up on the shuffling of feet as they neared his office doorway. He stacked the uncounted bills, placing them back inside of the bank bag and then inside the safe. "Agnes, what brings you here at this late hour? Care for a bit of tea?" He smiled at the cloaked figure as she entered his office space. His smile faltered when she pulled the hood back and he saw the panic in her eyes.

"What. Have. You. Done?" She closed the gap between them, shaking a gnarled finger at the man.

He stepped back, his hands defensively in front of his body, as he lied to the gypsy. "Me? I've done nothing at all, Agnes. Surely you're mistaken."

She stood a bit taller, as her fear strengthened her resolve to confront the shopkeeper. "You have changed the course of the future. You meddled with fate, and now my visions have turned to cold blackness." She hissed.

He was momentarily stunned at the ferocity of the woman's demeanor; sure, she had been passionate before about her visions, but never aggressive as she was right then. "Perhaps…" He nodded. "…I hinted to the Mayor that this was just an act on their part."

She looked at him as he confessed. "You, Mr. Gold, are a dark and selfish fool. Your desire to hurt the Mayor through her son will be the downfall of us all. Without her, there is no future for _any of us_."

He tried to appease her as he took her twisted hand. "Of course there is, dearie, nothing will change here. Storybrooke will always remain, as it always has. Come now, have some tea."

She pulled her hand away from the man. "I hope your moment of revenge was worth the price you will have to pay." She cloaked her head as she turned to leave. "By using Henry, you have sealed your own fate; now you will never find your own son."

He stopped, stunned at her words. "What do you know of my son?" He demanded.

She looked at the stricken man before answering. "His name is Baelfire."

Saturday morning was an overcast, drizzly start to the weekend. Regina awoke, finding Henry had snuggled closely to her as he slept. She carefully rolled away so as to not wake her sleeping child. She quietly showered, then dressed in jeans and a black turtleneck shirt. She left a note for Henry, in case he awoke before she returned. _Henry, I will be back in a few hours. Do your chores and read your AR book for school. _She vacillated before signing it, settling for a simple _Love, Mom._

The sign on the apothecary shop read _Closed _but Regina tried the door, unsurprised that she found it unlocked. _You always have been an early riser, Rose. _She searched for the healer in the small shop area and the office before finding Rose kneeling in the garden.

The woman looked up at the Mayor and softly smiled. "Regina, good morning, do you mind making us a pot of tea?" The Mayor disappeared into the building and started the water to boil. Rose came in just as the kettle whistled; sitting the basket of herbs on the table before going behind the counter and grabbing a notepad and pencil. She sat down and watched as the Mayor steeped the tea leaves in the pot, studying Regina's face and demeanor. The brunette carefully set the cups down on the small wooden table, adding a teaspoon of sugar and a bit of tea to Rose's tea.

The sat in peaceful silence as they sipped their hot beverages. Regina sighed, causing the healer to look up at her.

"Do you want to talk?"

Regina shook her head _no. _

"Do you want to be alone?"

Again, Regina shook her head _no. _

Rose moved the basket between them. "Well, then at least help me fill these orders." She handed a few sheets of paper to the Mayor, who gladly accepted the task of helping the healer. They sat together in silence, focusing on the herbs. They worked on trimming the brown leaves from the stalks, arranging and wrapping small bundles to be dried, taking the flowers from the stems and adding them to a medley of others to make different remedies.

In time, Regina sighed again and quietly spoke. "How do you learn to forgive?"


	11. Chapter 11

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina (eventually)

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: To _all_ who continue to read my story and especially to those of you who take the time to write comments, or add my story to your lists, **thank you** so much. This journey in my mind is much better for me because I can share it with you

A huge thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, for finding my many grammatical and punctuation mistakes, and then quickly sending me corrections and encouragement.

**Chapter Eleven**

_Rose watched as the teenager loped on the chestnut horse towards her cottage; Regina wore trousers, riding boots and a lavender jacket of crushed velvet. "Hello darling girl, what brings you here?" She called from her garden to the approaching brunette girl._

_"I needed a place to hide from my mother." The girl confessed with apprehension in her eyes as she slid off of her horse. _

_Rose stood and held up her wicker basket as she approached the Mills girl. "Well, Daniel's gone to fetch supplies from town, so come inside and help me with my herbs."_

_Regina tied her horse to the hitching post and followed the woman inside the cottage. They sat at the kitchen table, worn with use, as they sorted the fresh herbs. This was not the first time the girl had run to Rose's home for sanctuary; she knew it was the one place that Cora would never dare come. She looked at the sprigs of Basil and Angelica that hung in the windows and doorways of her cottage. "Where basil grows, no evil goes" was the saying about the protective powers of the plant. Rose had used all the herbs she could find to protect her land, her family and her soul from the evils of the magicks; she only wished she could protect the innocent Regina, too._

"_Do you want to talk about it?" Rose asked gently._

_Regina shook her head 'no'. _

_The healer looked the girl over, but saw no visible injuries. "Did she hurt you?"_

_A tear rolled down the young woman's face as she silently nodded. Rose came closer to her, putting her hand on Regina's shoulder. _

_"Will you let me put some salve on the wounds?" _

_The girl hesitated, so the healer pressed. _

_"Have I ever given you a reason to not trust me?" _

_Again, the girl shook her head 'no'. "_

_Then let me help you, Regina."_

_She braced herself as Regina removed her riding jacket and slowly raised her bloodstained blouse. The welts from the whipping were an angry deep purple._

_Rose took the metal tin in one hand and dipped her fingers into the thick salve. "I will try to be gentle, sweetheart, but I'm sorry it's going to sting a bit." She felt Regina stiffen as she anticipated the pain. The welts had risen on the girl's back; Rose counted five lash marks crisscrossing each other across the length of her entire lower back. She tended to each of the long, thin welts, feeling the heat that emanated from the fresh wounds. "Nearly done my brave girl, then I'll give you something to drink for the pain." _

_Regina stood silently enduring the humiliation that her mother had heaped upon her once again. The whipping had hurt, but her mother's words had cut deeper. "You are a useless piece of dung, Regina Mills. I'm embarrassed to have you as my daughter. I would have been better off if you were never born or if I had drowned you like a rat in the river."_

_The wounds covered in salve, the healer's first task was done. She stood, hearing her knees creak in protest as she rose. She took Regina's hand and led her to a stool. "Sit here while I make you something for the pain." She slowly released the girl's hand and went to the cupboard. "Here, chew on this." She handed Regina a piece of bark from the white willow tree that grew in the forest near her cottage. "That will help with pain and with any fever, if it comes." She packed a dozen more strips of bark in a small sachet and put the package on the table. Regina chewed on the bark as she watched the healer at work in her kitchen making tea. "I've got a mix here that has some ginger and angelica in it for the pain, plus the Valerian root is wonderful for helping you to sleep." She brought the water to a boil as Regina chewed the last of the bark. _

_"I don't feel safe sleeping at home." The simple statement whispered from the girl broke Rose's heart._

_"Then sleep here for awhile; you'll be safe here."_

Rose watched as the Mayor assembled another customer's order. "You know, Regina, you _can _talk to me."

Regina glanced at the healer, but said nothing.

"Regina, in all the years you have known me, have I ever given you a reason to not trust me?"

The Mayor dropped her hands into her lap, her shoulders drooped and she looked away from the healer. Rose stood and moved to the Mayor's side.

"I know it's hard, sweetie, but you have to believe me, I know you better than you could ever believe."

The brunette's eyes filled with unshed tears. "Then, Rose, you know that I don't deserve your kindness."

Rose pulled the Mayor towards her; Regina's head soon nestled near on the older woman's chest.

Regina's mind snapped to attention and she pulled herself away from the woman. "What do you remember, Rose?" Trepidation filled her voice.

The healer smiled and went behind the sales counter. "A couple of days ago, I was looking for another book that I could lend to your Henry. I searched through some old boxes that were in my spare room and I came across these." She returned to the table with three leather-bound books. "They do contain some remedies and such, but they're also what appears to be a journal written in my handwriting. To be honest I have no memories, but I've read them…it's a bit like reading an autobiography of someone else; but the more I read, the more I realized that you were in it quite prominently, as well as a boy named Daniel. I had a son? I wish I remembered him."

The Mayor nodded as she took one of the books and let it fall open to a random page filled with Rose's writing. She skimmed the pages, reading parts of her own history from the healer's point of view. The volume was an earlier one, it seemed, as it spoke of a teenage Regina, rather than the dark Queen she would become. She was sure that those stories were in the other two books. Sketches of flowers mixed with the notes about Regina's injuries, Daniel and his horses, and the fire at the mill shop that had killed Daniel's father. Rose had made notes in small, concise penmanship, documenting her daily life in the other land. Regina closed the book and handed it back to the healer. Her voice was thick with emotion as she asked. "Rose, have you read the other books, too?" The healer nodded.

"Regina, I've read them all and I am so very sorry that I couldn't protect you; first from your mother, and then from yourself."

Regina defended her. "No, Rose, you couldn't have stopped her, she was a powerful woman full of darkness and hate."

The healer began to weep. "But _I _was an adult, and you were a child. It was my _job_ to protect my children; you and Daniel both. I failed and in the end I lost the two people who meant the world to me. Regina, can you forgive me?"

The Mayor inhaled sharply. "Rose, you did everything you could. You gave me the only safe place to escape my mother, you taught me how to be a healer; you saved my life and you showed me love. If there was anything to be forgiven, then I forgive you gladly. But can you ever forgive me for becoming the person I am?"

Rose looked at the woman who once was as much her child as her son, Daniel. "I only have one question for you, Regina. Did you ever break your promise to me? Did you ever use herbs for darkness and magic?"

The tears finally rolled freely down the Mayor's checks as she softly whispered. "I've done terrible, terrible things in my life." She raised her head and looked the healer in the eyes. "But, that's one promise I never broke."

Rose nodded, satisfied at the answer. "You know, Regina, I've reread these books numerous times in these past couple days. That's part of the reason my orders are so far behind." She smiled. "Inside of you, under all the guilt, the darkness, that hard protective shell that you've built…under all of that there _is_ a good person. A person who embraced the good in people and in life, who spent days at my house learning how to be a healer; a girl my Daniel was so in love with that he often would stand out in the garden, leaning on a hoe, just daydreaming." She waved off the Mayor's protests. "Perhaps you don't think so, but it seems I've long forgiven you for everything. But it's time for you to learn to forgive yourself. Now, if you care to talk, then I'm here to listen."

Regina started, haltingly, to tell the healer of the betrayal she felt from Henry and Emma, and the anger she constantly felt towards Mr. Gold. Just saying the words out loud to someone she trusted removed a bit of the burden that weighed on the Mayor's soul. She told Rose about the morning she found Emma asleep on the floor next to her. "I just wish I could remember what happened."

The diner was busy when Emma walked into Granny's for breakfast. "Hey Ruby." She gave a tired smile to the waitress who was refilling a customer's coffee cup.

Ruby gave a broad smile back at the Sheriff. "Long night for you?" She winked at the blonde.

"I wish that was it." Emma rubbed her forehead to relieve some of her headache. "I think I need some strong coffee and food to get me going." She sat at the table and watched Ruby pour the hot, black coffee into her mug.

"I'll be right back for your order, Sheriff."

"Well, Sheriff, you look like you've had a rough night. Mind if I join you?" Mr. Gold didn't wait for Emma's response before sitting down at her table. "It seems…" he started straight in. "That I have caused a bit of a, how shall I say this, division between you and the Mayor." Emma eyed him warily. "And I came to apologize."

She rolled her eyes and shook her blonde head. "Too late for that Mr. Gold, the horse has already left the barn."

His eyes narrowed. "Yes, well, all things can be undone with the right... assistance." He offered.

She gave a mirthless laugh. "Your assistance is the _**last**_ thing I need right now." She grabbed her jacket and stood to leave. "I've lost my appetite." She tossed two dollars on the table to cover her tab.

The late morning sun had finally broken through the clouds, bringing with it a gentle wind and warmer air. Emma drove down the main street of town, unsure of what to do. _You should have just been honest with her. _She berated herself. _Should have just told her that you had made a deal, but that things had changed and you started to really care about her. Bah. _She was surprised at the idea that came to her mind. _This time, I'll be prepared. _She thought as she drove to the hardware store. Fifteen minutes later, armed with hedge loppers, thick gloves and a long sleeved shirt, she headed towards the Mayor's house. Emma didn't bother to go towards the house, instead she diverted down past the apple tree to the forested line of trees. She put on her shirt and gloves and then cut out the first vine of _Devil's Thumb_ that she could find.

Regina was dismayed to find the Sheriff's beat-up yellow bug sitting in the street across from her house. _If she thinks that she can just waltz in and be with Henry anytime that she wants, she's got another thing coming. _She grabbed the grocery bags and headed inside her home. "Henry." She called out; sure there would be no answer.

"In here, Mom." She heard his voice from the kitchen and went to investigate. She found her son sitting at the kitchen table, reading one of the books that Rose had lent to him.

"Where's Emma?" She asked as she put the rocky road ice cream in the freezer.

"I dunno." Henry shrugged at the question.

Regina left the kitchen, but returned moments later with Henry's Walkie-talkie in her hand. "Call her and find out where she's at."

He cocked his head and looked curiously at the Mayor. "Ooooookay." He turned on the radio and pushed the 'talk' button.

Emma's voice crackled through the radio as she answered his page.

"Where are you, Emma?"

She wiped the dripping sweat from her forehead. "Fighting with the Devil."

Regina looked out her kitchen window and saw the blonde working on the evil vines. "Henry, I'll be in my study if you need me." She turned to walk away from her son, but his small voice stopped her.

"Mom, here's my radio back." His arm, with the walkie talkie, was stretched out towards her.

She gave him a smile. "You keep it; you never know when you'll need it." With that she walked out.

The first thing that Regina had installed, as soon as she arrived in Storybrooke, was a top-notch security system. As technology improved, so did her alarms. Eventually security cameras and microphones were installed in every room except for her bedroom. She rewound the security tapes to the night that Emma had come over. She watched every camera angle as she saw the entire evening play out before her. She grimaced when she saw herself throw the decanter on the floor, and again when she saw the knife in her hand confronting the armed Sheriff. She watched the part where she and Emma tussled on the floor and found a laugh bubbling up at the lunacy of the battle. She turned up the volume as she watched the Sheriff and her son gently placed her on the couch and covered her with a blanket; even straining to hear, she could barely make out the words that Emma had shared while she was passed out. She fast forwarded through the part where they both slept, noticing when her leg had swung down on top of the blonde. And then they had both awoken and she threatened to kick Emma's ass. _Well, she __**did**__ deserve it. _The Mayor smirked.

Tired and sweaty from two straight hours of working on the thorny plant, Emma was tired of carefully cutting the vines and began to swing her loppers at the vines in an attempt to rip them out of the trees.

"You can't beat them into submission." The Mayor's dark, silky voice reached her ears. She turned around to face Regina. "So, Miss Swan, please tell me what the hell you think you are doing."

Emma sighed and used her shirt to wipe more sweat from her eyes. "I'm doing the only thing I can think of to show you how I feel." She tossed the clippers to the ground in exasperation. "I swear I am _sorry_. I'm sorry I wasn't _honest_ with you, I'm sorry I didn't see that Mr. Gold was using me to get to you. I'm sorry that I got _Henry_ involved. But Regina, I am mostly sorry because _I hurt you_."

"I'm listening." Regina answered as she wrapped her arms around her torso.

Emma was grateful that she hadn't been slapped so far, so she continued. "Yes, at first I was nice to you because of Mr. Gold, but it only took a day or two to start seeing that you weren't totally evil."

Regina's lip twitched as she held back her laughter. "That's not exactly a glowing reference."

Emma smiled apologetically. "I didn't mean that. It's just….I found out that you are human, just like the rest of us."

Regina considered the Sheriff's apology and smiled. "Well, Miss Swan, it seems that neither of us have a knack for making friends or trusting people. So, here's what we're going to do. Monday morning you will come for your regular meeting; you will bring a box of pastries as well as three cups of coffee. You will offer a coffee and bear claw to Michael, he will try to resist, but as always, will fail. You will bring the rest into my office; put one apple fritter and a coffee on my side of the desk, a coffee and a bear claw on your side. And we will start over."

Emma breathed a sigh of relief. "That sounds really, really good."


	12. Chapter 12

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina (eventually)

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fanfiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed. Thanks to Pesterfield for finding my grammar and punctuation mistakes

**Chapter Twelve**

"Good morning, Michael." Emma walked into the Mayor's office on Monday, armed with pastries and coffee. She handed the assistant his coffee and then watched as he paged Regina.

He spoke to the Mayor, hung up and told Emma to have a seat. "She's tied up right now; the Mayor will be with you shortly."

Regina flipped over three more cards from the deck and placed the five of spades on top of the four in the pile. She flipped three more as she continued her game of solitaire. She played for fifteen more minutes before deciding to put the game away and invite Emma into her office.

The blonde waltzed in with the pink box and two coffees; setting one down on the Mayor's side of the desk and one on hers. "Good morning, Regina."

Regina gave her a severe look. "Miss Swan, it's Madame Mayor or Mayor Mills to you."

Emma looked dubiously at the brunette. "Seriously?"

Regina gave a smirk. "Sheriff, I said we would _start over_, not continue from the point when I found out about your deception. So, yes, you will call me by my title, not my name. And I'm still waiting for my apple fritter." She tipped her head towards the box of pastries.

Emma sighed as she opened the pink lid and pulled out the pastry. "Alright, _Madame Mayor_..." She emphasized the woman's title. "What's on the agenda for today's meeting?"

Regina opened the manila folder and passed Emma two sheets of paper; one had the printed agenda, the other her budget status.

The meeting went quickly as the small talk and pleasantries had been eliminated, leaving just agenda items to cover. "Last item I have on the agenda is showing you how to tie a half-Windsor knot in your tie."

Emma was surprised when Regina walked over to her and placed the silk tie around her neck. "Now, Sheriff, let's begin."

Emma tried to relax as the Mayor took her hands and guided them in tying the new knot. She hadn't realized how much she missed the Mayor's soft hands until Regina had touched her.

"Final step is to pull like this." Regina tugged on the tie, holding it tightly around Emma's neck.

Emma tried to breathe. "Can't breathe!" She gasped.

The Mayor gave her a wicked look. "Oh, is it too tight, my dear?" She smirked as she loosened the knot.

Once Emma was back in the Sheriff's car, she rubbed her throat. _What the hell? _She was more disappointed than she cared to admit that she and the Mayor were back to square one. She walked into the Sheriff's Office and looked around the quiet building. Leroy had remained sober most of the weekend, so his usual cell sat empty, the steel door swung open. She read the weekend police record that was left by Jeremy and Sarah, two of the volunteer posse. There were only the typical incidents; a fender bender, two calls from Mrs. Anderson about a dog digging through her trash, a neighborhood party that had gotten too loud, and two 9-1-1 calls for medical emergencies that required the ambulance be dispatched.

As she put the log book back into the drawer, she spied the _cold cases_ file. She pulled it out, along with all of the paper records and the computer disk. She popped the disk into the computer drive and began closely studying each file. Emma found the copies of the old newspapers to be interesting. Not much had changed from year to year; the shop names, the residents, even the photographs were similar in every issue of the paper.

She tried to tie the cases together, but there was little evidence that they were. _I guess even in small towns, bad things can happen. _"Sheriff Swan." Emma answered the phone on the first ring. "Okay, Mrs. Anderson, I'll send someone over." She listened patiently as the older woman ranted. "Yes…yes…I understand your rosebushes are prize winners. No, no, I don't want to be responsible for their demise." She rolled her eyes at the woman's babbling. "Mrs. Anderson, I will personally come over and supervise until the animal shelter's staff arrives." She stood, stretching out her sore back muscles. _That's what I get for tackling Regina. _Grabbing her jacket, she headed to the Sheriff's car.

Mrs. Anderson's house was a small ranch style home that was painted an extremely bright shade of blue. _I should write her a ticket for that alone. _"Hi, Mrs. Anderson." Emma waved at the white haired lady who stood on her porch with a broom, waving it at her roses.

"Sheriff, I expect you to remove this nuisance immediately from my rose garden."

Emma approached the house, looking for the pest. "Oh, hey Azor." Emma spied the little white dog as he lay in the dirt near the rosebushes. The Sheriff looked for any signs of digging or chewing, but there were none to be found. She turned and gave a weary look to the old lady. "Mrs. Anderson, I'm afraid we'll have to wait for the animal shelter to arrive. The dog hasn't hurt anything; he's just laying down in the shade."

Mrs. Anderson huffed. "Sheriff, he comes here every day, and yet you refuse to do anything about him. Find his owner or next time I swear I'll give him rat poison!"

Emma backed up at the viciousness in the old woman's tone. _You're a real witch, lady. _"Alright, let me see if I can get him out." Emma slowly approached Azor, who was watching her as she moved towards him. Emma took three steps closer before the dog got to his feet and started snarling and barking at the Sheriff. "Okay, change of plans: We wait till they arrive with a kennel." Azor gave her one more growl before running off; he ran up the street and then disappeared around the corner.

"Is that what you can police work, Sheriff? I'll have you know I'm proud that I voted for Sydney Glass."

Emma was glad when she finally left the woman's house and returned to the Sheriff's office, but her heart skipped a beat when she saw the familiar black Mercedes in front of the building. She walked in, hoping that Regina was just paying a social visit. Emma had had enough of grouchy women for the day. She knew it was a bad sign when she opened the door to find the Mayor sitting at _her_ desk. "Madame Mayor, can I help you?" Emma knew it was bad news for her when she saw the dark expression on the brunette's face.

"Sheriff Swan, I know that I specifically ordered you to stop wasting your time and the city's money on these cold cases. So, imagine my surprise when I come by to visit you, only to find that you insist on ignoring me and going against my orders."

Emma looked guiltily at the Mayor. "I can explain, Re…Mayor Mills. Just hear me out." Emma took Regina's silence as permission to continue. "Look, someone has continued to give me clues and information that they believe tie these cases together. I'm just trying to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Regina's eyes turned darker. "Who gave this to you?" Emma shrugged. "That's just it; at the funeral reception, someone slid me an envelope." Emma pulled out the envelope and showed Regina the note _28 is the key._ "And then Sydney brought me a copy of the archives that I was searching for. I swear, Madame Mayor, that's why I'm continuing to look into the cases. It's not to undermine your authority."

The Mayor stood and walked over to face Emma. "Sheriff, this once, I'm giving you 24 hours to come up with a damned good reason that I shouldn't fire you over this. Tomorrow afternoon at 2pm, you be at my office, evidence in hand. Last time I relented, this next time I won't. Show me that they are related or find yourself another job." With that, she swooped out of the office, her three inch heels clicking on the linoleum floor as she walked out the door.

Emma laid out all of the information and evidence she had regarding the five separate cases. She made a bullet point list of anything the cases had in common.

All Victims were children or young adults

All were last seen in the northwest part of town before they disappeared.

Nobody reported them missing, although they all did have families.

Emma painstakingly searched through every copy of the _Daily Mirror _on the day of each occurrence. Then, she read the papers for the day before and the day after each incident. "Hang on here…" Emma grabbed two papers and compared the information. Furiously, she scribbled notes in her notebook. "Got it!"

She impatiently rang the doorbell five times before the door was answered. "Sheriff Swan, what the hell do you think you're doing here at nearly midnight?" Regina had obviously been sleeping; her normally perfect hair was mussed and she had a slightly confused look on her face.

"Regina, we need to talk."

The Mayor regained her arrogant composure. "Sheriff, unless you are broken or bleeding, it can wait until business hours."

Emma pushed the door open and entered the Mayor's house.

"Miss Swan! I insist you leave." Regina fumed.

"I will, I swear, as soon as you hear me out." Regina heard the panic in the Sheriff's voice.

"Very well, Sheriff, you have five minutes of my time, but come in my study so we don't wake my son." Emma followed the robe-clad Mayor, admiring her fluffy slippers as the women crossed the foyer into the study. "Four minutes now, Sheriff. I'd make it quick if I were you."

Emma pulled out her notebook and handed it to Regina. "Look." She pointed to the notes she had compiled. "Every year when there was a case where someone disappeared, there was also a break-in at the Mayor's office. The first year, the police report read that the Mayor reported a robbery where the foyer had been vandalized. The Sheriff thought it was just some neighborhood kids pulling a prank. These are the reports for the second and third cases, similar reports from the Mayor's office."

Regina pretended to study the reports even though she was very familiar with each of them. "Sheriff, it doesn't appear that there's a vandalism report for the fourth one…"

Emma conceded that point. "No, but the Mayor's car was keyed, and the windows were smashed in. So, technically still an act of violence against the Mayor's office.

Regina shook her head in dismay. _God, I miss that BMW._

"The last of the reports state that Michael was injured when he surprised the intruders on a Monday morning as they were robbing the Mayor's office. Gosh, he must have just started working for you."

Regina gave the Sheriff a coy smile before handing the notebook back to Emma. "Am I to understand that you rushed over here in the middle of my night, woke me from a lovely dream, and dragged me out of bed just to tell me that something might happen at the Mayor's office this year? Seriously, Miss Swan, this could have waited. And, just so you know, Michael was working for me quite a while before that incident."

"_My Queen, what is thy bidding?" The Captain of her soldiers dragged the middle aged, balding man, on his knees towards the Queens dais. _

_She sat on her throne, lovingly holding an apple, and admiring its pattern of reds with flecks of yellow. Bored, she looked down on her now- former personal aide as he laid on his side, his hands and feet bound, on the hard marble floor. "Read me the note he sent to Rumplestilskin again." She watched, with eyes as black as night, at the man's expression as his duplicity was exposed._

_"Dark One~ The Queen travels tonight to Malifecent's kingdom. Will cross the bridge at sundown. Right side door of the carriage will be unlocked; I'll jam the device to ensure easy access for you. May your success and her death be a glorious one. ~Your faithful servant, Robert"_

_Fury rippled across her face as she heard the words of his betrayal. "Robert, for five years you served me, I had thought, faithfully…." She stepped down from the platform and approached the now dishonored man. "…Only to find out that you were loyal, __**not**__ to me, but to __**him**__. Luckily for me, my guard intercepted the courier as he carried the message to your so called Dark Lord. The messenger paid for his deception with a death that was __**far**__ too merciful and quick. __**Your**__ fate will not be so kind." She turned to the Guard Captain. "Torture him, but then return him to me tomorrow. Do as you wish, Captain, but keep him alive... For now."_

_She returned to her throne, ignoring the pleadings of the desperate man as he was dragged on his knees out of the throne room. She sat, straightening the delicate lace on her pastel yellow gown. "Father, it seems I am in need of a new personal aide. Find me another."_

_Regina sat in the garden the next morning, picking at her breakfast. The debonair blonde man bowed deeply as he approached Regina. "My Queen… I am Michael, your new aide. I swear fealty to you and your crown. It is my privilege to serve you in….Oh, dear Gods, are you wearing sky-blue eye shadow with a chartreuse dress? Oh, honey, that just won't_ _do."_


	13. Chapter 13

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina (eventually)

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fanfiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed. Thanks to Pesterfield for finding my grammar and punctuation mistakes

**Chapter 13**

"Sheriff Swan, I just don't see these connections you are trying to draw between the break-ins at the Mayor's office and the disappearances of these people." Regina slowly shook her head at the evidence. "They are tenuous at best, but even giving you the benefit of the doubt, it's difficult for me to connect the dots as you have."

Emma huffed. "Madame Mayor, with all due respect, I don't know why you refuse to make these cases a higher priority"

Regina spoke slowly, as if addressing a child. "Miss Swan, may I remind you that first of all, I did tell you that these cases were solved and closed; and secondly, you tried to break down my front door at…" She looked at the clock on the wall. "…11:56pm, just to tell me a theory of how these are all connected. I'm going to go back to bed and _try _to sleep, no thanks to you. Sheriff, you really do need to get over your obsession with these cold cases and maybe, oh I don't know, focus on the current crime in Storybrooke." She handed Emma back the files and escorted her to the door. As Emma stepped through, Regina gave one parting comment. "Oh, and Sheriff, rest assured that if there is a break-in at the Mayor's office, we'll be sure to give you a call."

The alarm rang next to Emma's head as she slept; it stopped ringing as she threw it across the room and it hit the wall with a satisfying thud. Emma could smell the brewing coffee from the kitchen; the sun was shining, the birds were singing a joyous melody outside of her window. _Shut the hell up! _Emma groaned as she rolled out of bed, dreading the day. For one, she had now annoyed the Mayor and she was sure that Regina wouldn't hesitate to express her irritation every chance she could. And though the Mayor had encouraged her to focus on the current crime in the town, the truth was Storybrooke was boring as hell when it came to people breaking the law. She managed to arrive at her office only five minutes late; pulling her car into the spot marked _Sheriff._

"Well, Sheriff Swan, it seems we have a beautiful day in store." She groaned when she heard the distinct brogue of the pawnbroker.

_So what I didn't need this morning. _She held her tongue but didn't bother to smile. "Mr. Gold, what brings you to the Sheriff's office today?"

He gave her an incredulous look. "Why, the chance to have a word with you, of course...Emma."

"Fine, then talk." She leaned against her car and waited. "

Ah, I'm afraid it'll take a wee bit longer than just a quick chat; perhaps a conversation best held inside." He pointed his cane tip at the building. Emma shook her head and walked towards her office door. Once inside, she unlocked the drawer in her desk and slid in the files.

"Alright, Mr. Gold, we're inside, so talk."

He sat in the folding metal chair on the opposite side of her desk. "It's a shame, Sheriff, that your parents never taught you the finer points of good manners. Oh, that's right, you never had parents. Nevertheless, my time is quite valuable so I won't waste it trying to educate you. I simply wanted to check on your progress with those abductions I told you about."

Emma frowned as she sat down. "Abductions? My understanding when you gave me these…files…was that they were just disappearances. Now you imply that they're abductions? I've found nothing to support that claim."

"Must I do your job for you, Sheriff? You obviously aren't taking this seriously enough."

Emma's temper flared. "Not seriously enough? Twice I've butted heads with the Mayor trying to get her to see the importance of these cases; both times she's shut me down. I've done nothing _but _focus on these missing citizens since you gave me the tip. Mr. Gold, if you intentionally have me chasing my tail on these incidents so that I don't pay attention to your movements, then it's time to stop playing games with me."

His expression turned to one of controlled rage. "Did she tell you that? Did Regina imply that I was up to something? I assure you that all of my actions are legal and nothing that would concern the town's Sheriff; on the other hand, perhaps it is our dear Mayor who is leading you astray." He stood and leaned with his hands on her desk. "This is a dangerous time for you, Sheriff, you need to pick your allies carefully or you may, in short order, find that you have no one left when you need them the most." His stance relaxed. "Oh, and you might want to find your umbrella, it sounds like there's quite a storm on its way."

Regina strode into her office after lunch, stopping at her assistant's desk to pick up her mail and phone messages.

"Good afternoon, Regina!" Michael was in an exuberant mood. "Here is your M and M."

Regina glared sternly at the blonde man.

"Oh, fine, here are your mail and messages, Madame Mayor of Storybrooke, Maine, USA."

She cut him off with a teasing swipe of her arm. "That's quite enough, Michael." She tried to be stern, but his enthusiasm was contagious.

"Oh!" He stopped her before she went inside her office. "Looks like a nasty storm is heading our way, do you want me to run any errands for you?" He grinned like the Cheshire cat; she smiled back.

"I know you want to get out and play in the sunshine, so, yes, I do have a list of errands for you to run." He nearly hugged the Mayor in his excitement, but drew back at the last minute and just did a little hop. Regina actually laughed at his antics as she jotted down a list of errands that she needed accomplished.

Once Regina entered her private office, the smile disappeared from her face as she flipped on the television to the news. The Storybrooke weatherman stood in front of a large presentation board that displayed the state of Maine. His hands were busy as they moved the cardboard props across the map.

"Today's warm sunny weather will only last until tomorrow afternoon…" He moved a sun in his left hand followed by a thunderbolt in his right. "…when Mr. Sunshine will disappear behind gray clouds, bringing a cold front to the region. This front is capable of producing severe thunderstorms with…" He put the cardboard sun down and then picked up handful of small round balls. "…large, quarter-sized hail." He sprinkled the white balls in the air, letting them fall to the ground. He used the remote to bring the picture close-up to focus on Storybrooke. "Our little town is right in the path of the worst of this storm, so all my fellow Storybrookians, it's time to prepare. Back to you, Cheryl." Regina turned off the TV as soon as the perky redheaded woman appeared on the screen.

_Damn it, damn it, damn it. _She looked for something to throw across the room, settling on a coffee mug. Her phone rang and she snatched it up on the first ring. "What?" She snapped at the caller.

"Good evening, your Highness...oh, I mean, Madame Mayor," The shopkeeper's maniacal laughter rolled through the line.

"Gold, what the hell are you doing?"

His laughter immediately stopped. "What am _I_ doing? Everything I can to save the curse. The storm's coming, Regina, what will you do to stop it from breaking everything apart?"

She paled, as she heard his warning. "Anything it takes." She growled.

The silence hung thick in the air before he spoke. "Well, we can only hope that it's enough."

Emma breezed into the house, the sunshine of the day lifting her spirits. _Not even Regina can get me down. _"Hey!" She greeted her roommate. "What's shakin' bacon?"

Mary Margaret gave a confused smile to the blonde.

"Oh, come on Mary Margaret." She grabbed the brunette's hands and danced with her around the room.

"Emma, are you feeling alright?" The teacher put her hand on Emma's forehead, checking for a fever.

Emma just laughed. "I feel great! I want to go out and do something; come on let's go to the Rabbit Hole." She tugged on Mary Margaret's hands, pulling her towards the doorway.

"Oh, Emma, I can't; it's a school night." Emma's head lolled back in exasperation. "Come oonnnnnn, just this once, break loose with me!"

The brunette proposed a compromise. "How about we go to Granny's for supper, then come back and have a beer?"

Emma sighed. "Fine, at least I'll get to go out."

It seemed the weather had brought out the joy in everyone's life; Granny's was packed with a loud crowd of customers. Nearly everyone waved or yelled to the Sheriff and the teacher as they entered through the door. "I have seats over here." Ruby shouted across the diner to the two women. They pushed their way through the eatery to find the two empty chairs.

"Wow, there's a lot of noise in here." Mary Margaret spoke loudly to the blonde.

"I know, it's great!"

Henry was finally in bed. He usually had no trouble settling down and falling asleep, but tonight Regina had to make him a cup of chamomile tea with crushed lavender and cream before he started to unwind. She went upstairs and double checked that he was really sleeping before slipping into her room and undressing. She let her skirt slide down her thighs and past her calves to land in a puddle on the floor. Unbuttoning her satin blouse, she enjoyed the cool breeze that touched her skin. Her bra soon landed on top of her skirt, followed by her garters, hose and silky black underwear. She walked, naked, to the master bathroom and turned on the hot water to fill the tub. She admired her physique in the mirror, focusing on her face, arms and calves. Usually, she would ignore the rest of her lithe body, but tonight she felt unsettled. She needed to remember how strong she truly could be, when needed. So, she turned around in the mirror and looked at her backside and upper legs. Magic of the old world had minimized most of the scars; Rose's balms had helped the others heal with as little scarring as possible. Still, there were indelible marks that she would always bear; her mother's handiwork forever scarred her body and soul. The tub had sufficiently filled, so she sank into the warm fluid and let herself relax.

She hadn't realized that she had fallen asleep until the deep rumble startled her awake. Her water had turned tepid and goose bumps had risen on her arms and legs. Regina stood and reached for a large plush towel to dry herself. Wrapped in the towel, she padded towards the hallway, waiting for the sound to return. She was greeted by silence, so she walked back into her bedroom and dressed in her pajamas. She tried to settle down once she was in bed, but she tossed and turned for most of the night. By the morning's light, she was anxious and tired. _Idiot, you need to be sharp today. _She reproved herself as she splashed cold water on her face, trying to wake up.

"Hey, mom, it's time to leave."

Regina heard Henry calling to her, but she was focused on the outfits in her closet. _What do I want my clothes to say about me today?_

_The castle was bustling with anticipation of Snow White's birthday party. Most of the staff were engaged in either decorating the main hall with streamers, banners and confetti or in preparing the various courses for the birthday meal. King Leopold had invited over a hundred people to celebrate his daughter's thirteenth birthday; most were fellow noblemen and royalty who would also bring their wives and children, a few were Snow White's playmates and friends._

"_Oh, mother, look at all the wonderful colors." Regina and Snow walked through the partially decorated hall as they headed towards the private royal chambers. _

_Regina glanced in disdain at the money and time they were wasting for a silly party. "Yes, Snow, it really is something." _

_The girl turned and ran towards a window. "Look! They even brought in a circus! I do hope there is a clown." She ran back and fell in step with her step-mother as they neared the staircase by their living quarters. _

_"Snow, why don't you run along and have Matilda help you to dress for your special day. I'm sure you father had the seamstress sew you a charming little gown." _

_Snow beamed at Regina. "Maybe Father had something special made for you, too."_

_Regina was relieved as she saw the girl scurry towards her own bedroom. She continued down the corridor towards her private room, adjacent to Leopold's. Michael was waiting for her in his tiny work space across the hallway from her door. "Your Majesty, is there anything you require from me?" He smiled at the grouchy Queen, she felt her lip twitch, but suppressed even a small smile from forming on her full lips. _

_"Yes, Michael, I will need your assistance dressing for Snow's party." _

_He swiftly stood and followed the woman into her chambers. "Alright, Regina, sit down and let's get started."_

_She sat on the stool at the dressing table, the mirror reflecting back her scowl. The one time of the day she could just be herself was when she was alone with Michael. He approached her with his hands full of brushes. "Alrighty, first hair and then makeup" He stood, concentrating on her face. "It's a mid-day party, so lighter makeup will make you appear softer, more approachable." _

_She frowned. "I don't want to look more approachable, I just want all the people to leave me alone." _

_He started applying the dry brown clay to even out her skin tones. "I know, but my Queen, everyone expects you to be the eye candy on the King's arm. Now close your eyes." He carefully brushed a bit of color and shadowing to her eyelids. Once the blush and lip color were applied, he announced his approval. "Now, for your hair, up or down today? Hmmmm."_

_Regina knew the question was retorical, so she didn't even bother to give her opinion._

_"Yes, up it is." He started working on an elaborate braid. In short time he finished pinning the braid to her scalp and nodded again. "Now, my Queen, what do you want your clothing to say about you today?" _

_She grimaced. "That I'm dark and evil. Dress me in black."_

_He started laughing at her expression. "Oh, sweetie, you are adorable. This is a child's party, not a meeting with your fellow sorceresses. Still, let's go with a deep green to bring out your beautiful eyes."_

"Mom, are you alright?" Henry called through the closed door.

"Yes, Henry, I'll be ready in five minutes. Go get in the car." She selected a pair of dark gray pants with a burgundy, button-down blouse. Regina decided to go with the black flats today rather than heels. _Easier to outrun the storm if it comes._

The sun was shining on the cool fall morning as Emma walked from her home to the office. So far, everyone who saw the Sheriff had made mention of the impending storm; at first Emma took their warnings with a grain of salt. _After all, how bad can it be? _But when even the Mayor stopped her and told her to be sure she was ready to pull an all-nighter if necessary, the Sheriff started to worry. She grabbed a copy of the newspaper as she headed into Granny's for breakfast. Even there, the storm was the only thing that people were discussing.

She picked up various bits of different conversations as she studied her menu. "Yep, they say we might lose power all over this region." …"Have you stocked up on food and batteries?"…"We haven't seen a storm like this in fourteen years. Gonna be a real bad one."

All the lights on the telephone at her desk were blinking red; messages from concerned citizens had filled the Sheriff's voicemail box. Emma took down all the messages, intending to call each person back as soon as feasibly possible. Each of the states she had lived in had a propensity for storms, whether they were tornadoes, hurricanes or blizzards. But, the truth was, she had never actually been in a bad one. _I'm over my head, who can I call? _It was still late morning, so Mary Margaret would be at school, David had been in a coma, Leroy was laying low, and Mr. Gold was up to something so he was out of the question. _Fine. _She dialed the number from memory and waited for the answer.

Regina was pulling on her shoe as the phone rang; she juggled it as she answered. "Sheriff, I'm in a bit of a rush right now, I'll call you back." She hung up without waiting for Emma to respond. "Henry, we're leaving." She grabbed her briefcase and laptop as she hurried out the door. She dropped her son off at school, with two minutes to spare before he would have been tardy, before turning up the street and heading to her office. "Shit." She turned the Mercedes around and headed away from the Mayor's office. The space in front of the shop was empty, so she carefully parallel parked the black coupe.

"Rose?" The Mayor smelled the lavender as soon as she opened the door.

Rose came from the back of the store, her blonde hair in a loose bun, looking a little frazzled. "Regina, come and sit down. I'm so glad to see you; what can I do for you today?"

Regina blew out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Rose, I just wanted to make sure you were ready for tonight's storm."

The shopkeeper came over and sat across from the Mayor. "Oh yes, Mr. Gold and the gypsy, Agnes, have both paid me a visit. Sounds like it's going to be a fierce one, are you ready for it?"

Regina nodded. "Michael ran errands for me yesterday and bought food, water, batteri…"

She was cut off by the older woman. "Regina, are _**you**_ ready for it?"

The Mayor closed her eyes in sadness. "I don't think I deserve your concern, Rose. Nobody's really sure what this storm will bring, and maybe it will blow over like the last ones."

Rose took the Mayor's hand. "Regina, it has always been my right to be concerned for you. I've kept journals ever since I've been here in Storybrooke; as I used to do when we lived in the other place. I think it won't be the storm, but the aftermath that will be your undoing." She handed the Mayor two hand-woven bracelets. "You and young Henry make sure to wear these. I know it's an old wives tale, but perhaps there is some truth to their powers."

Regina gently rubbed the braiding. "Laurel stems…and what else? I don't recognize the other one."

Rose touched the lighter of the two colored vines. "Southernwood."

Regina looked to the healer in surprise. "You really think it will protect us?"

Rose raised her own arm, displaying the braided work on her wrist. "Gods willing, it will."

The Mayor stood to leave, pausing before giving the healer a firm hug. "Rose…" She pressed her lips to the woman's forehead. "Be safe. I hope to see you again very soon." There were tears in her eyes as she left the shop and unlocked her car door.

"Come on, Regina, pick up already." Emma was on her seventh unanswered phone call to the Mayor. She let it ring twice more before giving in and hanging up the phone. She had long ago last patience with the Mayor, who was ignoring the phone calls in Emma's time of need. The blonde reread the newspaper headlines, warning of the incoming tempest. It was filled with information on how to prepare for the storm; what to stock up on, the safest spots in your house, how to report power outages, and once the storm was over, who to contact to file your insurance claims.

She browsed through the rest of the newspaper until the article on page six caught her attention. _Former storms of Storybrooke _The one column editorial listed the dates of other major storms in Maine and specifically in Storybrooke over the last 28 years. A sense of dread filled Emma as she read the dates of the biggest recorded non-winter storms; 1, 2, 4, 7, 14. _All the same years as the disappearances. _She ran to her file cabinets and pulled out every folder that referenced the storms. She tossed them on her desk, quickly flipping each one open and noting the dates. _Ok, put it together, Emma. Figure it out._

She cross referenced the dates of the storms to the dates of the disappearances. _That's it! Two days after the storm…._Her phone rang, breaking her concentration. "Sheriff Swan." She answered absentmindedly, her focus still on the files.

"Sheriff, this is Michael down at the Mayor's office. The Mayor would like to meet with you as soon as possible."

Emma gathered up all of the files. "Good, because I would like to meet her too."

Emma ran over the curb as she parked the Sheriff's car in front of City Hall. Bounding up the stairs, she held tightly to the files so that they wouldn't slide out of her arms. She ran down the empty hallway towards the Mayor's office, sliding to a stop as she neared the door. "Is she in?" She didn't bother to stop when she saw Michael.

"She's waiting for you." Was all she heard as she closed the inner door.

"Madame Mayor, we need to talk." The Mayor sat at her desk prepared for the meeting, but not for the unannounced entrance from the Sheriff. She watched Emma; her blonde hair askew as she leaned over, hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath.

"Emma, have a seat. Let's get to the point." The Sheriff's head snapped up in surprise at the use of her first name, but the Mayor ignored it.

"Sheriff, I expect that you will be on duty for the full duration of the storm. Last time we lost power lines and telephone service for over forty-eight hours. You will be the point person that citizens will call if there are any problems."

Emma nodded. "How will I get ahold of you?" She asked the brunette.

"I'll be here in my office until 5pm, then I'll head home to make sure Henry's safe tonight. I'll have my cell phone with me at all times, as well as making sure I'm near a landline at all times." She handed Emma a list of phone numbers. "These are the unlisted numbers to members of the city council. If you can't reach me in a true emergency, call them."

Emma watched during the entire conversation as emotions quickly played over Regina's face; it was rare that the Mayor allowed anyone to see beneath the mask, but Emma had always been good at reading people, even the well-guarded Mayor. The last emotion that played before the mayor stood to end the meeting was one of fear. _What are you afraid of, Regina?_

"One last thing, Regina." Emma watched as the Mayor flinched at the use of her first name. "I've been cross-referencing the dates of the storms and the cold cases. They happen within 48 hours of each other. So, I think it's worth doubling up the patrol for the next couple of days to make sure we keep everyone in Storybrooke safe."

Regina considered the recommendation. "Sheriff, if your budget had the money to do so, I'd take your sage advice. Unfortunately, there just isn't the money to cover the expense of overtime."

Emma flushed with anger. "Screw the budget! For once think about the people we serve instead of the money."

The Mayor's eyes flashed. "Miss Swan, when _you_ are Mayor then you can make the hard decisions, until then you will do as I say."

Emma's voice raised an octave. "You aren't the Queen! Being Mayor may give you some power, but you can't control every little aspect of life here in Storybrooke."

Regina stepped closer to the blonde, their bodies mere inches apart. "I may not be Queen, here, but I can still shut down your big plans to be the hero." The tension crackled between the two, anger and fear fueling their heated exchange. Regina leaned in; retort on the tip of her tongue, her eyes dark with emotion. Emma stood her ground, refusing to back away; she licked her lips with the tip of her tongue and held her breath.

"Madame Mayor, I'm sorry to inter..." Michael had barged in without warning, expecting to find the two women at each other's throats.

Regina was the first to react and step away from their stand-off. "Sheriff. Get. Out." Emma looked around in confusion. "Michael, see that the Sheriff is escorted out and then you get your ass back in here." Moments later her assistant returned, closing the door behind him. "Madame Mayor?" He looked at the woman, who was lost in thought. He cleared his throat, but she still stared out the window and paid him no attention. He spoke louder, breaking her out of her reverie. "Regina, were you about to _kiss_ the Sheriff?" She glared at her assistant. "I most certainly was not!" He gave a gentle laugh. "Oh honey, lie to yourself but don't lie to me."

"Thank you for breaking up our fight, but we weren't about to get physical; though I would have liked to get _one_ good punch in." The fight had left her buzzing, charged with unspent energy.

"Here." Michael handed her a spare mug.

She took the mug, caressing the porcelain cup before hurling it against the wall, shattering it to bits. He handed her another, which met the same fate at Regina's hands. "Thank you, again."

Regina collapsed into her chair. "I don't know what to do."

Michael walked over and began to clean up the broken mugs. "Well, I think this storm has everyone out of sorts. But, if you ask me, it looked like she would have kissed you back."

Regina frowned. "Well, I didn't ask you."

He swept the last of the shards into the dustpan before dumping it all into the trash can. He dusted off his slacks and straightened the front of his shirt as he addressed his boss. "Okay, but I still think the two of you are like fire and ice; someday she's gonna melt your frozen heart." They heard the first roll of thunder as the sky turned to gray.

"Michael, go home. There's nothing more you can do today."

He nodded before stepping over and kissing her cheek. "Stay safe tonight."

Emma drove away from the Mayor's office, ready to explode. "Gah! I should have just swung for her face." The files she had tossed on the seat slid to the floor as she sharply rounded the next corner. _Slugged her or kissed her. _The thought would haunt her for the rest of the night.


	14. Chapter 14

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fanfiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed. Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, for finding my mistakes

Feel free to leave me a review and let me know what you think.

**Chapter Fourteen**

The storm came in quickly, the blue skies turning to a dark and cloudy grey. The front of the storm brought high winds that battered the streetlights and signs throughout the town. The streets soon became like streams as the water rushed to the drains; eventually there was too much water and the drains pushed the flooding back into the streets. Emma patrolled block after block, searching for signs of stranded cars and pedestrians. She drove towards the railroad underpass, only to find it blocked off with orange and white striped barricades that proclaimed "Flooded/No Entrance."

The lightening soon crackled overhead, adding to the symphony of rain and thunder. Trash cans and tree limbs littered the sidewalks and streets as the wind howled through the town. The wipers on the Sheriff's car barely kept up with the pouring rain and Emma found herself leaning forward in her seat as she strained to see out the window. One stalled vehicle blocked the lane of traffic; its blinking hazard lights were barely visible to Emma as she slowly pulled around the car. She peered inside the vehicle, to find it already abandoned. She turned the corner and headed towards downtown.

Her phone laid on the seat beside her; no calls yet. Emma continued past the closed stores and businesses. The light at Granny's Diner was still on and Emma could make out shadows of people sitting inside of the restaurant. She watched as two blurry figures exited the diner and huddled together against the storm before they headed up the sidewalk. The rest of the shops were closed, handmade signs taped to the inside of their doors declaring them open after the storm.

Nickel-sized hail began to pelt the town, covering the streets with small white balls of ice. Emma pulled into the bank's covered drive-thru, protecting the Sheriff's car from the assault. The hail continued to rap on the metal cover, causing a cacophony of noise. The first phone call came in and Emma had to yell to be heard over the ruckus. "Sheriff Swan here….Yes I know it's storming….No, Mrs. Anderson I can't come cover your rosebushes right now….Yes, I understand…..Ok, you keep safe, too. Goodbye." No sooner had she hung up the phone than it rang again. "Sheriff Swan here...Ok, what's your address?...And how long ago did you lose power?...I'll call the power company but it's going to be awhile till they get it back on."

"Sheriff Swan here…." She froze when she heard the familiar silky voice. "Yes, I'm patrolling the town right now….Yes, of course I know it's hailing, I'm out in it…..Really? I'm out here risking my ass and all you're worried about is me damaging the Sheriff's car? Seriously, Madame Mayor, you drive me crazy." She flipped the phone closed, wanting nothing more than to toss it out the window. Emma gently touched her lips with her fingertips. _I almost kissed her. _She admitted to herself. The phone rang again, this time Emma checked the caller I.D before flipping the phone open and answering it. "Sheriff Swan here….Okay, what road is flooded?...I'll call the road department and let them know." She quickly called both the power company and the road department to report the incidents. It was only 5 o'clock and she was already exhausted.

The hail suddenly stopped, leaving Storybrooke covered with a blanket of white pellets. The thick cloud cover let loose with a torrent of rain that soon melted the hailstones, only adding to the waterlogged conditions. Emma slowly drove the brown and white cruiser out onto the flooded streets; a constant spray of water enveloping her car as she traversed the streets of town. The visibility continued to be a challenge, causing the Sheriff to see only a few feet in front of her car. She noticed faint tail lights from a newly stalled car as she pulled up next to the stranded vehicle. _Oh for God's sake. _She flipped open her cell phone and called Regina.

"Madame Mayor, would you like a ride home?" She watched as the brunette turned her head to see the Sheriff's car parked next to her Mercedes.

"Thank you, Sheriff; it does seem that my car has stalled." The line went dead, but seconds later the passenger door opened as the wet Mayor quickly sat down and slammed the door shut. "I appreciate your assistance, Miss Swan. Would you see that my car is towed as soon as possible?" It wasn't so much a question as a demand.

Emma carefully navigated the path to the Mayor's house. They drove in silence until Regina's cell phone rang, startling both of the women. "Hello Henry….No, I'm not at work. I'm on my way home…..hold on, I'll ask the Sheriff….yes she is giving me a ride home." She turned to Emma. "Henry would like to know if you have seen that little white dog?"

Emma shrugged. "I haven't seen him for a couple days now."

Regina returned her attention to her son. "No, she hasn't, but I'm sure he's fine, Henry…Alright, I'll be home in five minutes…..I don't know, I'll ask her." She sighed as she focused on the blonde. "Henry would like to know if you have eaten supper."

Emma held up a Snickers bar and a bottle of water.

Regina shook her head in dismay. "Sheriff, you do realize that you will be patrolling the rest of the night? A candy bar and water aren't exactly in the food groups." She spoke into the phone. "Henry, put some lasagna on a paper plate and heat it for three minutes. Then put it in a plastic container with a lid. Miss Swan will come to the door and get it. Okay, I'll see you soon."

Emma was relieved when Regina used the remote on her keyring to open the large garage door. She pulled the Sheriff's car inside the garage, glad for a small break from the downpour of rain. No sooner had she turned off the car and rolled down her window, than Henry came into the garage from the house. "Emma! Here, mom made lasagna. I reheated it for you." He handed the blonde a small plastic container full of hot pasta. He then passed her a grocery bag with plastic utensils, three napkins and a ziplock bag of cookies.

"Thanks, kid." She smiled at the boy. Regina stood behind Henry; impatiently waiting for him to finish talking to Emma. The Sheriff eyed them both. "You two stay safe tonight, okay? Henry, you make sure to take care of your mom."

She turned to Regina. "If you need anything tonight, call me."

The Mayor simply nodded before shepherding Henry back towards the house. "Good night, Sheriff. Stay safe."

Emma rolled up the window as she restarted the car, backing it up out of the garage and into the storm. _At least I get some food tonight. _She opened the plastic bag and nibbled on a homemade cookie.

Henry tried to sleep, but the noise from the storm, coupled with the knowledge that Emma was out in it, kept him tossing and turning. Finally, he gave up and tiptoed to his Mom's room. Seeing the light under the door, he lightly tapped on the wood. "Mom?" He tried to sound like he wasn't afraid, but his voice broke when he spoke.

Regina answered the bedroom door dressed in red silk pajamas; her makeup had been removed, giving her a younger and more vulnerable look. "Henry?" She asked, concerned at his pale appearance. "What's wrong?"

He looked her in the eyes, finding only worry and love. "Can I sleep with you? I'm scared."

She smiled, trying to sound comforting. "Of course, sweetie, come join me in bed." Her heart soared when he immediately snuggled up to her side

. "Mom?" She opened her eyes.

"Yes, Henry?" His brown eyes met hers.

"Do you think Emma is okay out there?"

She suppressed a sigh that he would bring Her up. "I'm sure she's fine. She knows how to take care of herself." He thought about that for a few minutes.

"Mom?"

She opened her eyes again. "Yes?"

He fidgeted before asking. "Can we call her just to make sure?"

Regina didn't bother to try and stop the small huff as she reached for her cell phone. "Make it quick, we both have to get to sleep."

He flipped open the cover and dialed Emma's number. He tried again. "It's not working."

Regina took the phone and dialed the number. "Well, the phone towers must be down. We can try again in the morning." He bolted up. "Be right back, I know how we can reach her." Regina blew out a frustrated breath as she watched Henry scurry down the hallway to find his backpack. _How the hell does she always manage to impose on my life even when she isn't here? _She felt tears prick at the thought, but she quickly wiped them away. _I will _not_ give her the satisfaction of having my son see how she affects me. _He ran back and jumped on the bed, walkie talkie in hand. She didn't bother to correct his bed-jumping stunt as he returned to his spot next to her.

"Emma, Emma are you there?" The Sheriff heard the familiar young voice as she searched for her radio.

"Hey, Henry. I was just thinking about you guys. How're you doing?" Henry grinned when she answered his call. "The phones aren't working. Are you safe?"

Emma felt warmth spread in her body, knowing that someone actually cared if she was alright. "Yeah, kid, I'm okay." She checked her phone for a signal, but found none. _Damn it. _"Henry? Is your mom there, too?"

It took a moment for him to answer, but he sheepishly admitted. "Yeah, I'm sleeping in her bed tonight 'cause of the storm."

Emma was surprised to find that she was relieved that he was with Regina. "Henry, that's good; I wish I was with there with you both." She paused as she realized how that might have sounded.

"We wish you were here too! Over and out."

Her radio crackled as she heard the faint conversation before Regina's voice came over the speaker. "Sheriff, how is the town?"

Emma unwittingly grinned at the sound of the Mayor's voice. "Well, Madame Mayor, we've lost power in a few neighborhoods and some houses must have lost their shingles because they are all over the streets. This storm's a real beast; you two stay safe and warm."

It was Henry who answered. "You too, Emma. Goodnight."

Regina lay in bed, reviewing the conversation in her head, wondering which parts of the town were hit the hardest and how long it would take to restore phone service and power. _Oh hell. _She quickly rolled out of bed and searched for her purse. She was relieved to quickly find the bag and returned to Henry with two bracelets. "Henry, Rose made these for us; it's important that you leave this on for protection."

Henry gave a puzzled look as he examined the braided work. "How will this protect us?"

Regina fastened her own around her slender wrist. "They're made of two powerful herbs that are used for safety. Please, promise me you won't take it off for at least a week." She helped tie his around his wrist.

He shrugged at the request. "Ok, Mom, I won't"

The night passed quickly; the storm's fury diminished by dawn, leaving branches, stranded cars and downed power lines in its wake. Emma could see the utility trucks already out as the workers started to clean up the debris. She turned on the local radio station and listened to the morning show. _At least nobody was hurt. _She drove near the deserted school yard before hearing that school had been cancelled for the day. _Good, I'll drive by Regina's and check on Henry. _She was exhausted, but determined to make sure that he and Regina were alright. The Mayor's car was already parked in the driveway; the tow truck driver had made the Mercedes his first priority of the day. Tree limbs were scattered on the Mayor's lawn; wet leaves plastered to the house siding and the fences.

Emma rang the doorbell, but nobody answered. She tried again, before realizing that the bell wasn't working. _Must have lost power. _She knocked loudly on the door and was rewarded with a sleepy looking Mayor.

"Miss Swan?" Regina stood and waited, irritated at being woken up by the blonde.

"Hey, Regina…" Emma realized that the Mayor was ticked, so she tried to seem apologetic. "I, um, just wanted to check on you and Henry."

The Mayor softly growled. "Well, Sheriff, we are both fine…and we **were **asleep until you knocked."

"Yeah, sorry to wake you." It was then she noticed the red silk pajamas that didn't hide Regina's hard nipples. She swallowed hard and looked away, but her eyes continued to stray down from the Mayor's face. She unconsciously nibbled on her bottom lip as she tried to stay focused. _God, I must be exhausted if she's affecting me. _

Regina noticed the Sheriff's movements and watched as Emma's tongue left a trail of moisture on her lips. Her body betrayed her as she felt herself tightening in places that had long lain dormant. Dismayed at her arousal, she demanded "Miss Swan, if there is nothing else…"

Emma's eyes snapped back to the Mayor's face. "No!" She answered more forcefully than she had planned. "Nothing else, I'll just find my way, um..." She stumbled as she walked backwards away from the brunette. "…Home."

Regina quickly closed the door and pressed her forehead against the smooth wood. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to protect her aching heart. _Oh my God. Why her?_

Emma managed to stumble to the car and then drive it quickly home. Once inside, she stripped down to just her boy shorts. _Too tired for a shower, just go to bed. _She laid there, eyes closed; trying to fall asleep, but the image of the Mayor's body was burned into her memory. Finally, she gave up trying to sleep and let her hand drift down beneath her shorts. The thoughts of the Mayor combined with her arousal gave her little time before she had her first wave of release.


	15. Chapter 15

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fanfiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed. Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, for finding my mistakes

Feel free to leave me a review and let me know what you think.

Realm of Shadows

Chapter Fifteen

"Go back to sleep, Henry, school's been cancelled today because of the storm." Regina sat on the edge of her bed as she watched son turn over and peek out from beneath the comforter.

"Do you have to go to work then?"

She nodded. "Yes, part of being Mayor is being on the front line in these situations. But, I need you to stay inside today since the phone lines are still down."

He snuggled back into the blankets. "Ok, but will you make sure Emma's okay, too?"

She stood, turning her back to him so he wouldn't see the chagrin on her face. _It's always Emma this, Emma that…. _"Of course I will, Henry. You just promise to stay inside for me." She turned to him for his answer, but he was already fast asleep.

She dressed in black jeans and a dark red t-shirt with the _Storybrooke _and the cityemblem silkscreened in white on the back. She pulled out her seldom used hiking boots and finished getting dressed. She wore her hair back and lightly applied her makeup. Power was still out, so the Mayor had to forgo her usual routine of coffee and toast, settling on cold lasagna and a glass of water. She stepped outside and surveyed the damage in her yard; branches were strewn across the grass and a plastic chair from the neighbor's house had settled against the tall shrubs. _This is going to have to wait for tonight. _She planned to have Henry help her clean up the mess when she came home that afternoon. Regina found her work gloves in the garage along with various tools that she loaded into her Mercedes.

She drove straight to City Hall, finding most of the glass windows boarded up with plywood. Michael was sitting in his Audi, waiting for the Mayor to arrive. When he saw her black car approach, he stepped out of his car with two coffees in hand. "Good morning, Madame Mayor." He handed her a mug, which she gratefully accepted. "I lost power for an hour or so, but looks like it's still down here." He handed her an apple fritter as he gave her his report. "The bakery, at least, is open, but most shops are boarded up. It seems most of the town received damage; the volunteers at the Sheriff's office came by with a report for you." He handed her a sheet of paper with the status of the different neighborhoods situations. "I take it you are still without electricity or phone then?"

She sipped her coffee as she read the report. "Yes, Henry is home today but we have no power or phone service." She sat the pastry and her coffee on the hood of her car as she handed the report back to Michael. "Where is Sheriff Swan?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I haven't seen her this morning; perhaps she's getting some beauty rest?"

She smirked. "I highly doubt any amount of sleep could help her with that."

He laughed at the Mayor. "So touchy about the Sheriff. Seems she has gotten under your skin, or that you would like her to."

She glared at Michael as she gently smacked his upper arm. "Shut up, someone might hear you!"

He rubbed his arm. "Ow, that hurt."

She gave him a wicked grin. "Good, it was supposed to. Alright…" She sighed as she surveyed the building. "You might as well go home and work from there. I'm going to go check on Rose."

The small business was dark as the Mayor entered via the front door. "Rose?"

The healer appeared from the hallway as she flipped on the light switch. "Regina, it's always a pleasure to see you. I take it you and young Henry fared alright in the storm?" She stepped closer to the brunette and touched the bracelet. "I'm glad you are wearing it, I hope your son is too. If my journals are right, you will need all the protection you can get. Do you have time for some tea?"

Regina nodded as she sat down. "I have some branches and such in the yard, but we have no phone or power at the house. Do you mind if I read that part of your journals? I don't understand why you think Henry and I might be in danger, after all, the storm has passed."

Rose brought the tea tray to the small table. She sat it down before turning and looking for the books. "Of course you can, Regina, you need to be prepared."

They sipped their tea in silence as Regina studied the healer's writings. She flipped back and forth between pages, trying to find the pattern that Rose had seen. "So, the storm comes…and then someone disappears? That's what the Sheriff thought, too. But I don't see how it pertains to my son."

Rose stood and found an older journal. She passed it to the Mayor as she opened it to the marked page. "It doesn't just happen here, it happened there too. Always the same storm followed by the disappearance of a royal child."

Regina shrugged her shoulders. "But, Henry isn't royal by birth, only by adoption." She looked to the healer for assurance. As usual, Rose tried her best to comfort Regina.

She took the Mayor's hands and held them firmly. "Perhaps you are right, sweetie, and everything will be fine. I just want to make sure you are both safe. I can't bear to lose either of the people I love."

Mr. Gold cursed the darkness in his shop; a closed business was a profitless business and he preferred to add to his wealth rather than have his shop sit dormant, even for a day. He had turned to leave his office when he heard the tinkle of the bell from the front of the shop. He entered the front area to find the old woman waiting for him at the counter.

"Agnes." He forced a smile on his face, ignoring the irritation of being interrupted when he was in a foul mood. "Whatever brings you to see me today?" A bit of annoyance slipped into his voice as she pulled back her hood and glared at him.

"You're little stunt with the Mayor the other day has cost us dearly. There's no telling now if the curse will be broken. And if it's not, then it might never be."

He stepped back in surprise. "I have no idea what you mean, Agnes."

She stepped closer to him. "Rumplestiltskin, drop the act. I have seen a clear vision and I know that this place is cursed with your handiwork."

He smiled an impish grin. "Very well, Baba Yaga, then it's time for us to plan."

The gentle knock at her bedroom door woke Emma from her dreamless sleep. She mumbled "Come in." As Mary Margaret cracked open the door.

"Sorry to wake you, but it's two o'clock and you said not to let you sleep past now."

Emma groaned as she rolled out of bed, placing her bare feet on the carpeted floor. "Yeah…" her hoarse voice answered. "…Thanks, I'll be right down."

Mary Margaret gave her a sympathetic smile. "I made you some lunch, too, if you want some."

Emma ran her fingers through her long blonde tresses, trying to wake up. "I'll just take a quick shower and get dressed." She stood and stretched; her back popping as she twisted. Checking her phone, she discovered she still had no signal. _That's why I didn't get any calls today._

She came downstairs fifteen minutes later in her official Sheriff uniform. _Probably gonna need to look the part of Sheriff today. _She sat at the breakfast nook and ate the tuna sandwich, chips and soda that her roommate had left out for her. Emma cleaned up her mess before heading out to the Sheriff's car.

She drove around town, surveying the clean-up from the damage. The streets had been cleared of shingles, branches and debris, but still were difficult to navigate with the orange cones blocking lanes. Boarded up windows along the main street covered the broken glass that the hail had damaged. The schools, City Hall and most of the businesses were closed today. Residents worked in their own yards, or helped their neighbors, cleaning up the mess.

The Sheriff drove by Mrs. Anderson's house, relieved that the rose bushes seemed to have escaped major damage from the storm. She waved at the older woman, who was out tending her shrubbery. The city park however, had taken heavy damage to its trees and flowers. A group of citizens were working together to clear the wreckage. The sounds of chainsaws buzzed in the background as Emma stepped out of the car and looked for whoever was in charge of the group.

Her back was to the Sheriff, but the woman was clearly in charge of the workers; she was pointing and giving directions to everybody who surrounded her. Emma approached, appreciating the tight black jeans as she closed the gap between her and the brunette. Emma decided this was as good as any place in town to lend a hand. "Anything I can do to help, ma'am?"

Regina spun around at the sound of Emma's voice; the Sheriff was the last person she wanted working closely with her today. She surveyed Emma from head to toe, appreciative of the sense of power that the Sheriff's uniform brought to the blonde.

Emma swallowed hard as she let her gaze fall to the tight jeans that flattered every curve of the Mayor's body.

Regina's voice was husky as she answered the question. "Sheriff, I think it's best if you patrol the town and leave the park to us." Her nostrils flared as she found herself aroused by Emma in full uniform. She eyed the gun, the handcuffs and the badge that Emma wore on the thick leather belt. _Damn it._

She turned to the workers who were now paying full attention to her and the Sheriff. "There's a lot to be done, so we should let Sheriff Swan be on her way." She turned back to the blonde. "Henry asked if you were okay, would you drop by and tell him I'll be home around five o'clock?"

Emma nodded, dumbfounded, finding she couldn't tear her eyes away from the Mayor's casual appearance. _Damn, she looks fine in jeans. _

"Oh, and Sheriff, don't forget we have a nine o'clock meeting tomorrow. I'll see you then." She turned back to work, attacking a broken tree branch with more force than was necessary.

By late afternoon the town had begun to shape up and return to its regular appearance. Some of the shops were still boarded up, but other than that anomaly, most everything else was back to normal. Power and phone service had been restored and many of the town's citizens were gathering up the smaller bits of rubbish in their yards.

Regina slowly drove back home, taking the time to say hello to the people she passed in the streets. Her back was sore from all the labor she put in at the park and she detested that her own yard would need her attention when she arrived home. Hopefully Henry would be willing to work hard, too, so that they could get it finished in just a couple of hours.

She pulled into her driveway and parked her Mercedes by the garage. Stepping out, she realized that all of the debris had been removed; the branches were neatly bundled by the curb for pick-up by the garbage company. She walked along the pathway to the backyard, only to find Emma and Henry working together to pick up the fallen apples from her tree. He saw her first and ran up to greet her.

"Hey, mom!" He tugged at her arm and led her down the path. Emma had changed from her Sheriff's uniform into a pair of ripped jeans and a navy t-shirt. She donned the heavy pair of work gloves that she had purchased just days before. "Emma and I have been working to clean things up."

The Sheriff smiled at her. "Hey, Madame Mayor."

The Mayor gave a relieved smile back to the blonde. "Emma, I think it's okay to call me Regina again." This brought a bigger smile from the Sheriff.

Regina turned to Henry. "Why don't you and Emma keep going and I'll be right out to help you?" Henry grinned and rejoined Emma in picking up the fruit.

"Regina, what do you want us to do with the apples." She gestured to the wheelbarrow which was laden with the red fruit.

"The wheelbarrow is fine, Emma; I'll sort through it tonight and see what I can salvage."

Regina disappeared for five minutes before coming back outside with a basket of sandwiches, a blanket and some lemonade. She unfurled the blanket and laid it on the ground. "You two should take a break and eat." She handed a sandwich to Emma. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help today."

Emma gratefully plopped down on the blanket and began to consume the food. She lay down, enjoying the gentle afternoon breeze as it helped to cool her down. Henry laid next Emma, imitating her pose as Regina sipped her lemonade, trying in vain to not let her eyes rest on Emma's body.

The impromptu picnic seemed to lift all their spirits as they decided to return to working in the yard. The sun was just setting over the trees in the west as they finished up their last load. They neatly returned all of the tools to the garage and then rolled the full trash containers to the curb.

Emma turned to go, but was stopped by Regina's hand. "Emma, thank you so much for helping us today. Please, stay for dessert; it's the least I can do to show you my appreciation."

Emma felt the warmth emanating from the Mayor's hand on her arm as she found herself powerless to say _no_. The bowls of rocky road ice cream were passed around the kitchen table as they relaxed and talked about their day.

Henry asked about the dog, which neither the Mayor nor the Sheriff had recalled seeing.

Regina's cell phone rang, so she excused herself to answer it. "Michael, how are you?...Okay, good, then I'll see you tomorrow at work…Yes, I have a meeting with her at nine o'clock….Yes, I'll ask her to bring you a bear claw….Because she's here right now…..Shut up or I'll fire you…." She hung up the phone with a small laugh at Michael's persistence in teasing her; nobody else could get away with the shit he did, but she always had adored her assistant.

She returned to the kitchen to find Emma washing the dishes and spoons. "Henry went upstairs to get changed for bed. I hope you don't mind, he asked me to tell him a bedtime story."

Regina reached for a dishtowel and began to dry the bowls. "No, that's fine. Come find me before you leave?"

The Mayor sat on the couch in her study, reading Rose's journal.

"Hey, he's sound asleep." Emma stood in the doorway to the room.

Regina stood to meet her. "Thank you, again." She looked closely at the Sheriff. "You look really tired, Emma." She didn't realize that her hand was caressing the blonde's cheek until she saw Emma's eyes flutter closed as she unconsciously leaned into the touch. Regina regretfully pulled away, wanting nothing more than to comfort the woman in front of her.

Emma's eyes opened and she sighed. "Yeah, tired doesn't begin to describe it. I should go."

Regina took her hand. "Or you could stay?"

Emma shook her head. "I would, but Mary Margaret would worry. But, thank you."

They stood like that for a moment, neither wanting to break the connection. Eventually Emma pulled back. "I better leave before I fall asleep standing here. Goodnight, Regina."

The Mayor walked her to the door, already regretting letting Emma go. Ten minutes later, as she was dressing for bed, the text came; _Home safe, c u 9 am. Sleep well. E. _

She read the message three times before answering. _Thx for texting me. Sweet dreams. R_

Michael sat at his desk, reveling in the warm sunshine that entered through the window of his office. The door opened and he grinned at the blonde. "I'll make sure she's ready to see you, Sheriff." He feigned surprise when she offered him the bear claw. "You really shouldn't have…"

Emma laughed. "Whatever, Michael; you asked her to ask me to bring it."

His grin spread. "Guilty as charged." He sat the pastry down on his desk and then peeked into the Mayor's office to find Regina pacing. "Madame Mayor." He whispered, causing her to whip around and look at him as he came inside and closed the door. "Sheriff Swan is here." He watched her fidgeting with her blouse. "I can send her away if you're too scared to meet with her." Regina's eyes narrowed at him and he held up his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, I'll let her know you're ready. Oh, and the rest of your morning is clear, so I'll make sure you aren't disturbed." He quickly exited and told Emma to go on in.

"Good morning, Sheriff." Regina sat regally behind her marble desk, a picture of calmness to those who didn't know her very well.

Emma smiled at the brunette, trying her damndest to not look at anything below the Mayor's neckline. "Coffee, Regina?" She slid the cup and an apple fritter towards the Mayor. "So what's on the agenda today?"

They discussed the town's clean up efforts, the Sheriff's upcoming presentation for the city council meeting and as many items as Regina could think of to keep the Sheriff from leaving her office. Finally, she ran out of relevant topics and had to continue down the scheduled agenda.

She stood and took a deep breath. "Last thing, as always, is to show you a new knot for your tie." She reached into her desk drawer and pulled out the satin tie. "By the way, Sheriff, you looked quite dashing in your uniform yesterday." She pushed down the attraction that was sending her body into overdrive.

Emma stood and waited, her body betraying her as she felt the tingling in her groin.

Regina slowly came closer to the blonde as she raised her arms to put the tie over Emma's head. She raised the collar on the Sheriff's button-down shirt and brought the tie around the Sheriff's neck. She allowed her hands glide down to the ends of the thin silky cloth.

"This is the Balthus knot." Her voice was low and rough as she took Emma's hands and started guiding her through the motions. "Now put your finger into the hole…." She gently prodded the Sheriff. "..And pull it tight, like this."

She felt Emma's hands tremble as they worked the technique. "Very nice; that's a broader knot than the Windsor." She undid the pattern, stealing touches of the Sheriff's body as often as she could. "Want to try that one again, or see a new one?"

Emma's body was on fire, each touch from the Mayor sending small jolts through her soul. She responded in a husky voice. "A new one; then we can review them both?"

Regina reached up and undid the two topmost buttons on Emma's shirt. She felt the soft skin beneath her knuckles as she released the buttons from the holes. "This is a more casual way to wear a tie; for informal functions." She found it difficult to conjure up the words as she focused on the blonde's breasts.

Emma felt Regina's hands and let the Mayor lead her as they tied the knot. She stepped closer as Regina finished loosening the tie, her hands never left the silky material as she pressed her head forward and met the Sheriff's lips. The first few moments were gentle exploration; the fullness of Regina's mouth sought out the softness of Emma's. The Sheriff, let her arms come around the Mayor, pulling her in a tighter embrace.

Regina groaned as she felt Emma's lips part, inviting the brunette to kiss her deeper. The Mayor's tongue slowly trailed over the blonde's bottom lip as she explored the Sheriff's parted mouth. Tongues met in a slow dance of desire as both women felt their bodies respond to the kiss.

Regina pulled away, breathless. "We should stop."

Emma pressed her wet lips to the Mayor's forehead, leaving a trail of kisses back to Regina's mouth. "Maybe, but I can't; I want you so badly."

Regina let her tongue trace the hollow of the blonde's throat, causing Emma to moan. She found Emma's pulse point and gently sucked, feeling the pounding below the skin. Emma's hands sought out the swell of Regina's breasts as she felt the soft warm skin beneath the Mayor's blouse. Lips met again, this time in urgency and desire. Panting, Emma tugged at Regina's bottom lip, leaving small bite marks on the swollen mouth.

"Please…." She ran her hands over the pebbled nipples that strained through Regina's blouse as she nibbled at the Mayor's earlobe.

Regina felt the wetness in her center as the Sheriff suckled on her throat. "God, Regina, don't make me wait." She felt the buttons of her blouse unbuttoned as the Sheriff sought to touch her. She gave herself over to the blonde, as she felt Emma's teeth tease her nipples through her blouse.

Their cell phones rang in unison, startling them. Emma stepped away from Regina, but left one hand on the Mayor's swollen breasts.

"Sheriff Swan." She gasped into the phone.

Regina answered hers in a similar manner. "Ok, I'll be right there." She reluctantly withdrew from Emma's touch as she straightened her blouse.

Emma hung up her phone. "We have an Amber Alert for a missing child"

She watched as the Mayor closed her cell phone. Tears were in Regina's eyes. "I know; it's Henry. He didn't come back to class after recess and they can't find him anywhere." She gave one last innocent kiss on Emma's mouth. "Sheriff, go find my son."


	16. Chapter 16

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

Realm of Shadows

Chapter Sixteen

Emma raced with sirens blaring and lights flashing to the elementary school. She pulled up over the curb and onto the freshly mowed grass. The car had barely stopped when she jettisoned out in a full paced run towards the office doors.

Mary Margaret was the first to see her when Emma pushed through the glass doorway. "Emma, thank God you're here." The teacher's face was flush from crying and fear. "I don't know where he went, he just…disappeared."

Emma put her hand on her roommate's arm. "Mary Margaret, tell me everything you _do_ remember."

The brunette started crying again, but was able to answer the Sheriff. "We had…we had just gone out for the ten minute recess. Usually I stay on the playground, watching the students, but I had to make twenty-five copies of the math test, so instead I went to the office. There was a line of teachers though, so I…."

Emma cut her off, impatient with the narrative. "Henry, I mean what do you remember about _him?_"

The teacher blushed in embarrassment. "Oh….Well, he went out the door with everyone else. Someone, maybe Jenny took the soccer ball out; I _think_I saw him heading to the field with a group of kids; but I can't be sure."

Emma wrote down the information as the teacher spoke. "You will find him, Emma." It was more of a question than a statement. "You _have_ to find him."

"She has to find him, Michael." Regina paced the floor of her office, the memory of their kiss replaced by the gnawing fear of losing her son.

Her assistant calmly nodded. "Regina, honey, finding people is what Emma does."

She wrapped her arms tightly around her torso, the pain too intense for her to bear. "He's the only good thing in my life. Sometime he is my only reason to go on."

Michael listened sympathetically to the Mayor's confession; he wanted to comfort her, to tell her that things would turn out alright, but he knew his words would fall on deaf ears. He picked up the telephone receiver on her desk and dialed a phone number. "Hi, this is Michael. Could you come quickly to the Mayor's office? Regina needs you…..Yes, it's true, he's missing…..No, the best thing you can do is come stay with her…..Okay, see you soon. Thank you."

He hung up the phone and turned to the Mayor. "Rose will be right here sweetie." Regina let the tears fall freely as the fear and guilt consumed her.

"_Your Majesty, you called for me?" Michael appeared in the royal chambers, dressed in his finest dark blue silk outfit. His longer blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail and he played with it as he patiently awaited her response. _

_"Yes, I am to travel to the lowlands today, I need you to assist me in dressing properly for the occasion."_

_ He entered her room and went directly to the large walk-in closet. "Let's see, riding in the carriage or on a horse, my liege?" _

_She sat on the bed and watched him as he worked. "In a carriage, unfortunately; it's going to rain so I'll have to be inside."_

_ He let his hands run over a couple of outfits before choosing a deep purple and white one. "This will work well then. Will you return tonight or tomorrow?" She started to dress in the pants and blouse he had selected._

_She had noticed long ago that Michael never looked at her with any lust or passion, unlike all the other men. Rumors in the castle said that he was devoted to another man; Regina was relieved that she never had to worry about being uncomfortable around her assistant, for she found her desires ran now to the feminine form. _

_"Hmmm, I'll be back tonight; I just have one matter of business to attend to." _

_He gave her a small smile. "Tell Rose hello for me."_

_He was glad that the prideful Queen had finally decided to visit the healer; Rose was the only person she ever spoke highly of, though Regina hadn't seen the woman since ascending to the throne. For years she had sent messengers, laden with gold and gifts for Rose, and each time the healer had sent them back with the same message. 'If the Queen wants to contact me, she needs to do it in person; her treasures and power mean nothing to me.' If there was anyone who could pierce the evil that had pervaded the Queen's soul, it would be this Rose woman._

_The carriage, surrounded by ten guards on horseback, ambled down the well-worn road. "Can't you go any faster?" The Queen demanded of her driver._

_ "I'm most sorry, your majesty, the road is rutted and the carriage cannot bear a quicker pace."_

_ She huffed and sat back against the leather seat. Soon, the healer's cottage came into view; Regina felt an unexpected tug of apprehension at seeing Rose again. They drove up into the front yard of the cottage, trampling over a corner of the garden and leaving plants destroyed in their wake. _

_The front door to the cottage opened and the healer stepped out. Regina allowed one guard to open her carriage door as she gracefully descended the steps to the ground. Rose curtsied at the Queen, who simply stared at the older woman._

"_Rose, it seems you have been ignoring my messages." _

_The healer stood tall and crossed her arms over her body. She carefully watched the expressions on the young queen's face. "Well, your highness, I simply said that if you wanted to talk to me, you needed to do it yourself." Regina, she noticed, looked more dismayed than angry, so she pushed on. "And now that you're here, let's have some tea." _

_She turned and went inside, hoping it would be the queen and not a soldier with orders to kill that would join her. She was relieved when the brunette entered and sat at the table; the Queen's men remained outside near the carriage. _

_Rose set the teapot down on the table with the two small cups and a small selection of cookies. She poured the brunette some of the hot beverage and offered her the cup. A fleeting glance of hesitation crossed the queen's face before she reached out and accepted the tea. Rose smiled at the young woman. "I've missed you, Regina." _

_She noticed Regina's features lightened and the brunette looked more like the innocent girl of the past then the powerful dark Queen she had become. "I've missed you too, Rose."_

The phone rang and Michael quickly answered. "Mayor's Office. Hello Sheriff." Regina's eyes flickered with hope. "Ok, I'll let her know, thank you."

He shook his head slowly as he put the receiver in its cradle. "Emma just left the school and is heading to the Sheriff's office. She wants you to go home and stay there in case Henry shows up at the house." He heard the outer door open so he peeked into the lobby. "Rose is here now, she can drive you home. I'm going to go join the search party."

The healer walked in as Michael was fetching Regina's briefcase and keys. "Rose, she needs to go home and stay there. It's the best thing she can do for Henry."

Rose nodded and took the Mayor's hand. "Come on Regina, let's go wait at home." In a daze, Regina followed the healer out to her car. The ride home was silent as the Mayor stared blankly out of the window.

Rose familiarized herself with Regina's kitchen, making a light lunch and chamomile tea, as the Mayor thoroughly searched the rooms in the house. The healer had never been invited to the Mayor's home, though Regina had visited her apothecary shop hundreds of times over the past twenty-eight years. She brought the tray into the study and set it on the Mayor's desk.

Regina returned to the room, distraught at not finding Henry anywhere in the house or yard. "Rose, he's not here….he really is gone." She held out the herbal bracelet to the healer. "He's gone and he has nothing to protect him."

If she had any magic at that moment, she would have conjured a thousand wards to keep her son safe. But, she was here in a land without magic; and Henry was at the mercy of fate. Regina's face contorted with grief as she collapsed into the calming hug of the older woman. "Rose, she has to find him."

Emma walked into a station full of people; the news channel had broadcast the Amber Alert and had said that anyone able to help search should report to the Sheriff's office immediately. The blonde parted the crowd as she walked to her filing cabinet and pulled out the thick plan she had created labeled _Search and Rescue Protocols._

"Ok, everyone, listen up. I'm going to group you into teams of four. Each team will have an assigned number. Ruby…" She looked over and saw the waitress. "…will give each team a pager. Make sure your group has at least one cell phone with them. If any of you find Henry, call the Sheriff's office immediately. Once Henry is found, we will page every team to return here. Any questions?"

She ignored the general chatter as she organized people into teams of fours. "Here are your areas to search." She held up maps of each part of the town. "Make sure you check everywhere: inside houses, closets, basements, under beds, in businesses-including their bathrooms and dressing rooms. Check offices, anywhere a child could hide or be hidden. Granny is going to stay here and coordinate the search." The older woman gave her a sharp nod and stepped over to the Sheriff.

"Once you have searched your assigned area, you come back here for another section. Don't waste time checking other places; just come get your next map." She handed each team a map and announced to Granny where each team was assigned. "Let's go find Henry!" The citizens headed out the door and scattered.

"Granny and Ruby, here are the rest of the maps. Mark off when a team completes one and give them a new one. When more people arrive to help, give them this sheet." She handed the older woman a stack of _Search and Rescue Protocols._"Set them up in teams of four with a pager and have them head out and start searching. If you need me, or when he is found, call me on my cell phone or the Sheriff's car radio. I'm going to start looking here." She pointed to the newly constructed playground that Regina designed. "I'll keep looking until he is found."

She went to the gun safe and loaded up with two shotguns as well as extra ammunition and shells. "Regina will stay home and call if Henry shows up there." Emma added as she headed towards the exit. "Thank you so much, guys. I couldn't do this without you."

As her car raced towards the playground, Emma felt the first tear roll down her cheek. She hastily wiped it away, trying in vain to stay focused on the plan rather than her breaking heart. The playground was empty, save for an older woman who was sitting at the picnic table feeding the birds.

"Ma'am…" Emma ran to her, scaring the flock of pigeons that had settled at the woman's feet. "Have you seen a young boy here today?" She showed the woman Henry's school picture, his smiling image showed his missing baby tooth.

The old woman looked closely at the photo and then shook her head. "He's not been here today, Emma." The Sheriff thanked the woman before heading to the playgrounds edge and starting a perimeter search. "Dearie, I dare say you are barking up the wrong tree." Emma's expression puzzled over the odd comment as the lady wrapped her cloak around her torso and shuffled off, pulling the hood over her head.

She searched the playground, looking in every nook and cranny of the large castle-like fort. Sure that Henry wasn't hiding in there; she searched the perimeter of the park and started looking in the wooded area. Ten minutes later she realized the futility of one lone person trying to search an entire forest. _Finding people is what you Do- and he isn't around here._She had trusted her instincts her whole life as a matter of survival; but now, when faced with her son's safety, she loathed giving up, even when her instincts told her to.

She went to the patrol car and called into the Sheriff's Office for an update.

Ruby's pleasant voice answered the phone. "Sheriff's Office, how may I help you?"

"Hey Ruby, the new playground is clear. Any news from the other teams?"

Ruby glanced at the map of Storybrooke that hung on the wall. "No new leads, Emma. Most teams have checked in and are on their second round now."

Emma slumped dejectedly against the seat. "Alright, how is Regina doing?"

"Rose took her home and will stay with her until….we know more."

"Keep me informed, Ruby. I want to know if there are any changes. I'm going to head down towards the highway in case he's running away." The thought that Henry would leave Storybrooke, now that she was here, had never before occurred to her; but she had been unwilling, or unable, to believe his fairy tale theories. _Maybe he's gone to find someone else who will._

Ruby's voice broke into her thoughts. "Will do, Emma; stay safe, okay?"

She turned left at the intersection and slowly followed the signs that lead out of town. She carefully studied each deer trail and possible entrance into the thick woods as she drove down the road.

_".lp pl…se..in…woo..."_ The walkie-talkie on the seat next to Emma crackled with static and partial words. She grabbed it and yelled into the microphone.

"Henry! It's Emma; can you hear me? Henry?"

She waited frantically for seconds that seemed like hours. _"…ma…help…find…ckpa…"_Emma slammed on the breaks and called again, this time holding the radio higher in the air. "Henry, I'm on the Mill Road. Where are you?"

_"Emma. Help"_

She leapt out of the car and tried again. "Henry where are you?" She was answered only by silence.

_Okay, he's alive and has his radio, which means he has his backpack, too._She looked on the shoulder of the roadway for tracks; finding none, she called him again. "Henry are you there?"

_"Emma, help me."_

"Henry, where are you?"

_"My backpack's …side…road…slid down….hurt."_

She hopped back into the car and drove quickly down the road, looking for his backpack. Two miles down, she spotted the fabric bag laying in the mud on the roadside. "Ruby…." She didn't wait for Ruby to talk when the phone was answered. "I found his backpack on Mill Road." She hung up the phone without waiting for a response.

"Madame Mayor, this is Grannie, down at the Sheriff's Office. Emma has found Henry's backpack…..Mill Road….no, she didn't say exactly where…..ma'am she hung up before Ruby could ask…..Yes, of course we've tried calling her back, but she doesn't answer….Alright, you're welcome."

Regina cradled the phone, a glimmer of hope lighting her soul.

"Good news, Regina?" Rose looked up from her journals.

The Mayor nodded, smiling. "Emma found his backpack." She sat next to the healer. "I hate just waiting, Rose, I need to be out there looking for my son."

Rose placed her hand on the Mayor's arm. "I think the best thing you can do right now, is help me; read these pages."

She passed two of the books to the Mayor, who read each of the short passages.

Regina's brows furrowed in confusion. "What about the other times?"

She glanced at the healer, who handed her another book while commenting. "This one was the first time."

Regina read the words aloud. "The Pearson's son, Damian, disappeared today. Yesterday's storm will make it tough going for Sheriff Graham to find him. Such a shame, he was only ten."

A few entries later, Regina continued. "The boy's unconscious body was found today, though neither the public nor the Mayor is aware. Dr. Whale, Graham and Michael brought the body to me, hoping I could find a cure for what seems to be an unidentified toxin."

The journal held sketches by Rose of the wounds inflicted on the boy. Three entries later, the story continued to its conclusion.

"The Pearson boy died today. I was able to identify the toxin, but didn't have the necessary herbs to create the cure. I don't dare write more in case this journal is discovered by the wrong person."

Regina looked frantically at the healer. "What was it?"

Wordlessly, Rose passed her another, older book from the other land. "Rumors of children dying from a poison have been passed in the marketplace. Helga, the baker's wife speaks of demonic attacks from the allied realms. Surely Queen Regina would have put a stop to this if it were true. After all, a dead subject can't pay taxes to her Majesty's coffers. Regardless, I will research further, hoping to protect my neighbors if such a rumor proves to have merit."

"Madge, the butcher's wife, brought me her daughter today. Young Maryanne tells of a small white dog that bit her on the hand. I inspected the wound, and could tell that it's neither canine nor a bite. She was reluctant to talk anymore about it; surely she is protecting the dog, but that's not my concern. I cleaned the wound and sent her home with some salve. Madge assures me that if it gets worse, they will return. She paid me nicely with some pork salt and a whole chicken, already prepared."

Regina looked closely at the drawing that the Healer had made of the wound. "Rose, that's not a bite, that's a scratch; and it's identical to the one you sketched from the Pearson boy's incident."

Rose glanced at the books and nodded. "That was my conclusion, too." She gave a small laugh. "At least we don't have to worry about demons in this land.


	17. Chapter 17

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fanfiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors

Realm of Shadows

Chapter Seventeen

"Henry?" Emma ran along the shoulder of the road, peering down into the forest as she yelled for her son. "Henry can you hear me?"

She settled into a pattern of taking ten steps, calling him on the radio, then yelling for him across the highway and quietly listening before moving on. The sun had come out from behind the clouds, casting a bright light on the dew kissed leaves of the trees. Emma squinted in the light and called again for Henry.

Her radio crackled and his faint voice answered. "Emma, I'm down the hill from my backpack. It's slippery…I hurt my arm."

She broke into a dead run back to the spot she saw his bag; finding the pack, she saw the broken branches and muddy trail where he had fallen down. "Henry, I'm on my way."

She waited, but there was only silence from the radio. She grabbed the loaded shotgun and followed, tumbling down the steep hillside onto the forest floor. She rolled, tucking her shoulder to let it take the brunt of the landing.

She struggled to her feet, her boots covered thickly in mud, and determined she was unharmed. Emma looked for signs of a trail to follow as she set out walking. "Henry can you hear me?" She heard the snapping of twigs and swung her head in that direction.

She tightened her grip on the shotgun and flicked the safety to _off._ She treaded carefully as she followed the prints she saw on the ground; a set of human tennis shoes and what appeared to be dog paws were visible on the muddy trail. _If he came out here to rescue that damned dog, I'm gonna kill him myself. _

She saw Henry lying on his side, clutching his arm, behind a large fallen log. She caught his eye, but he adamantly shook his head to deter her from coming closer. Emma hid behind a thick moss covered tree and checked out the area. It seemed peaceful and quiet and she sensed no imminent danger. She tried to get Henry's attention, but he was focused on peering over his other shoulder. She followed his line of sight and caught the glimpse of white fur, close to the ground. She lowered her gun and came out of hiding.

"For hell's sake, Henry, come out and help me find that dog."

Henry pulled back as pain shot across his features. "Emma! No, you have to hide!"

She shook her head at him. "No more hiding, kid. You're in enough trouble as it is."

She started heading towards his hiding spot when the silence of the forest was broken by a deep loud roar. A massive flock of black birds rushed out of the canopy of trees and into the sky, diverting her attention from her son.

Instincts took over as she knelt down on the wet ground to hide in the thick forest vegetation. She heard the breaking of tree branches as she felt the rumble of the ground as something walked towards Henry.

She didn't see the large demon until it picked up the fallen log that Henry was hiding behind. It tossed the large log as if it were as light as paper, exposing the hiding child. Emma froze at the sight of the crimson skinned demon; two large curling horns protruded from the sides of its head. Thick, sinewy arms and legs were bare of any covering; its chest rippled with muscular strength as it reared back to lash out at Henry.

She shot the gun once, missing widely; the slug embedded into a nearby tree. She shot again, this time hitting the demon and breaking off one of its horns. In a pained rage, the demon turned its attention from Henry and squarely onto Emma.

"Henry…Run! Call for help!" She yelled at the boy as she brought the shotgun up to fire again. From the corner of her eye, she saw Henry scramble away and up the hillside.

He breathlessly called on the radio. "This is Henry Mills, come in." He held the plastic microphone of the Sheriff's car radio in his uninjured hand and clicked the button again. "Repeat this is Henry Mills, we need backup."

Ruby raced to the radio in the office. "Henry, where are you?" She grabbed the mic and yelled back in alarm.

He looked around, but saw nothing he recognized. "On the Mill Road; The Sheriff's car is parked on the shoulder."

Ruby wrote down the information. "Ok, we're sending the ambulance…." She glanced at Granny who had already picked up the desk phone to call the hospital. "…and back up. Stay where you are Henry. Stay in the car."

He hung up the radio and, ignoring Ruby's advice, moved back to the edge of the slope.

"Madame Mayor this is Ruby. Henry just called in on the Sheriff's car radio." Regina clutched the phone as she heard the news. "We're sending backup and an ambulance to the location. Madame Mayor, are you there? Hello?...hello?"

Rose followed Regina as she raced out of the house. "Get in Rose, I know where they are."

Tires squealed as the Mayor sped down her residential street and turned onto the main road. Rose barely had time to buckle her seatbelt before the car careened around a sharp bend and onto Mill Road. Regina passed two logging trucks, both heading to the lumber mill, as she topped ninety-six miles an hour. Three more trucks were passed as if they were standing still before the Mayor slowed down to seventy-five. She spotted the brown and white Sheriff's car parked on the shoulder, and pulled up nose to nose with the stopped vehicle.

From the top of the embankment, Regina could make out three figures in the forest. "Henry!" She called to her son, who was hiding behind a tree partway down the side of the hill. Her eyes followed further down into the ravine as she saw the blonde, gun pulled, and the larger figure stomping towards the Sheriff.

The demon closed in on Emma, one massive clawed-hand grabbing at its head where the horn had been. The other was in a bear-like pose, ready to attack. She didn't have time to get the next shot off, as the demon roared and swiped her away with its talons.

Henry watched in horror as Emma's body flew backwards five feet as the demon hit her. "Emma!" He yelled. "Get up!"

Emma rolled over onto her back and pulled out her pistol. The demon roared and came at her again as she emptied the magazine of bullets into its chest.

She saw the demon pitch forward and her whole body braced for the impact of its body landing on top of hers; but it never came. She opened her eyes to find…nothing. She quickly got to her feet and spun around, waiting for the next attack; but saw and heard only the empty forest. She snapped a new magazine into her gun as she walked on looking for the beast.

"Emma, you killed it!" Henry shouted in excitement.

She was beginning to feel lightheaded. "How do you know?"

He pointed at a pile of ash. "Because it turned into that."

The pile of light gray ash was the last thing she saw as she crumpled to the ground.

Regina rushed to Henry when he topped the crest of the hill. "Henry, are you okay?" She knelt down and pulled him into a tight hug. She felt the gravel dig into her knee, but ignored the sharp pain as she focused on her son.

He winced as he pulled back and raised his right hand. She carefully placed it on his chest. "Keep it there, it will help the pain."

Tears were running down his cheeks. "Is Emma okay, Mom?"

Regina looked at the unconscious woman on the ground below as she heard the sirens of the ambulance heading towards them. "I don't know." She answered honestly, her throat constricting in fear and grief.

"Hello Henry." One of the paramedics brought his medical box over to the boy and the Mayor. "You gave quite a few people a scare today." He pulled out a penlight and stethoscope. "Ok, let's give you a good once over to make sure you aren't badly hurt."

A few minutes later, the medic was satisfied that Henry's only injury was his wrist, which was probably broken. "Madame Mayor, we can transport Henry to the hospital if you like, or you can drive him there yourself. He needs to have that wrist looked at, but everything else looks pretty normal."

She barely heard the medic talking as she focused her attention on the other paramedics tending to Emma at the bottom of the forest floor.

"That's fine, I'll just drive him." She answered absentmindedly.

A clipboard was thrust in front of her. "I just need you to sign this waiver then ma'am." She hastily scribbled her name without looking at the forms.

Two paramedics kneeled over the Sheriff, who was vacillating between an unconscious and a semi-conscious state. "Looks like a damn bear attacked her."

One medic held her head and spine still, taking the precaution in case there was trauma to her head or spine. "We need the board!"

One yelled to the medic who was tending to Henry. The other medic removed Emma's torn shirt, exposing the large jagged wound on her left shoulder. Her hair, neck and the front of her undershirt were covered in blood.

"Let's get her in a c-collar and on the backboard. Load and go." The three of them quickly loaded her into the basket, her body restrained on the backboard with her head strapped down to keep it immobile.

The medics jostled the basket as they carried Emma up the hill and into the waiting ambulance.

"Mrrphh.." Emma moaned as they jerked the basket over a rocky outcrop on the trail.

"Hang in there, Sheriff, we're nearly to the top of the hill." One of the female paramedics promised the semi-conscious blonde. Emma's skull felt heavy like it was full of lead, making it difficult to raise or turn her head.

"Emma, try not to move, we have your neck immobilized and your head strapped down." Her foggy brain tried to process the information, but she was so tired; once again she fell unconscious.

The next time she woke, she heard the sirens as the ambulance drove with her down the road. Her whole body ached, but her left shoulder was the most distracting; it burned as if it were on fire, causing waves of nausea. The pain radiated down her arm as well as up her neck and across her upper torso.

"Hurts." She slurred, trying to form more words, but they were all muffled by the oxygen mask.

She opened her eyes when she felt the warm pressure on her good shoulder. Michelle, one of the Paramedics at the fire department, was talking to her, but again the words made no sense to her addled brain.

"This way." Dr. Whale had waited at the doors of the ambulance bay for Emma to arrive. The paramedics pulled the stretcher out of the back of the ambulance, the legs locking into place as the wheels touched the ground.

Regina watched from inside of Henry's exam room as they wheeled Emma inside the sliding doors to the Emergency Room.

"Is that Emma?" Henry asked from his hospital bed. He was wearing a pair of light blue scrubs and had a cast on his right wrist.

Regina turned to him once the ER doors had closed. "I think so, let me go check. Rose, do you mind staying with Henry?"

The healer looked up from her magazine. "Not at all, Regina; take your time."

The Mayor entered the main lobby and approached the nurses' station. "Excuse me; was that Sheriff Swan that just came in?"

The nurse looked up and frowned. "I'm sorry, Madame Mayor, I can't give you any information."

Regina tried another tactic. "Henry, her son, well…my son, is in exam room three; he was asking if he could see her."

Again the nurse declined and Regina felt her patience slipping away. She gave the nurse a hard look. "Perhaps…" She looked at the nurse's nametag. "…Sarah, you don't seem to understand that if that IS the Sheriff, then her **only** next of kin is Henry, who is a minor. Therefore, as _his_ mother and as _her _employer, I am the person responsible for decisions regarding her care."

Doctor Whale approached the desk, having watched the tense exchange between his nurse and the Mayor. "Madame Mayor, is there something I can help you with?"

She growled, nostrils flaring, before answering the doctor. "As I was explaining to Sarah here, if that is Emma Swan, then I need to see her." The doctor looked puzzled.

"Doctor Whale, a word in private." Regina motioned to an empty room. He followed her, shutting the door behind him.

She let the full fury of her pent up emotions loose on the physician; the vein in her forehead throbbing as she unleashed her anger. "Unless you want me to make your life a living hell, then you **will **let me see the Sheriff right now. If you don't then I swear I will destroy you and your career, if it is the last thing I do."

The doctor felt the sweat as it trickled down his forehead. He straightened up, pulling on the lapels of his white lab coat. "Of course, Madame Mayor; right this way."

"You'll have to stand back, ma'am" One of the nurses brusquely informed the Mayor as she entered the exam room. "On my count-one, two…" On three, they lifted Emma on the backboard and moved her from the stretcher to the exam bed.

Dr. Whale brushed past Regina as the nurses began to hook Emma up to the various monitors. Another nurse announced her vitals to the physician. "Temperature 96.5F, Pulse 98 and thready, respirations 24, blood pressure 124/94, oxygen saturation is 98%."

Dr. Whale quickly considered the information before giving orders. "Put her on oxygen at 2 liters per minute by nasal cannula. Warm her up with a bag of heated saline drip and get some blankets on her."

He palpated her neck and spine. "Get radiology in here for a full c-spine workup. I don't want to clear her until we know for certain there's no injury to her neck. I want films on the injured shoulder as well."

He examined her eyes, which responded to the brightness of the penlight. "Pupils look good." Then he used his stethoscope to listen to her lungs. "Breath sounds are good bilaterally. Heart sounds good; no murmurs or gallops." He hung the stethoscope around his neck. "Alright, let's take a look at this shoulder."

Regina wrapped her arms tightly around her torso with each pronouncement from the doctor. She watched as Emma struggled to gain consciousness; wanting nothing more than to hold the Sheriff's hand to offer her strength.

_For Henry's sake _she told herself.

The portable x-ray machine was wheeled into the small room, forcing Regina to step out and observe through the glass windows. She stood for a few seconds, before turning in frustration and heading back to Henry's room.

He brightened when he saw her. "Did you talk to Emma? Is she alright?"

She came and sat next to him on the hospital bed, brushing his hair with her hand. "It's too soon to tell how she is, Henry. But as soon as I find out anything, I'll be sure to let you know, okay?"

He hung his head in disappointment and whispered. "She has to be okay, she saved my life."

Regina pulled him into another embrace, kissing his head, while she gently rocked him. "I know, sweetie. I know."


	18. Chapter 18

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

Chapter Eighteen

Henry sat at home on his bed, his wrist in a sling and cast, waiting for the talk that he knew was coming. He heard his mom's soft footfalls as she walked down the hallway to his room. He looked up when she entered, noticing the lines on her usually smooth face.

Regina sat on the bed, next to Henry, smoothing out the invisible creases on his bedspread. "Henry, we need to talk about this morning." His shoulders sagged a bit more as he prepared for her wrath.

She reached over and gently touched his broken wrist. "Most importantly, I love you and I'm glad that you aren't badly hurt. I know that breaking your wrist is…a bummer, but it could have been much worse. But, I'm concerned that you skipped school and then disappeared without letting anyone know where you were. So it's time for you to be honest with me and tell me what happened."

Henry looked solemnly in his mother's brown eyes as he told her his story. "You know I haven't seen Azor in a few days, well since the storm?"

She nodded as he continued. "I saw him outside the playground fence at recess and he looked really hurt. He was gimping on three legs and he had blood matted in his fur. I tried to call him to me, but he wouldn't come any closer, so I went to him. Every time I'd get near him, he would run up the street; I wanted to make sure he was alright, so I kept following him. I didn't know how far away we were or how much time had passed, I didn't even here the recess bell ring, so we must have been far away from the school by the time recess was over."

Regina started rubbing small circles on Henry's back, trying to listen objectively to his story. She needed every bit of information she could gather if she was going to be able to help Emma. "Ok, go on, Henry."

"I kept following him down the Mill Road; I recognized the sign at the crossroads. He just kept looking back at me and taking off again, so I stayed as close as I could, but I couldn't ever catch him. He went down into the forest so I grabbed the walkie talkie and went to follow him, but I slipped in the mud and…" He held up his broken wrist. "…I fell down the hill and landed on my hand.

Before I could get up the dog came over to me and licked my face and wrist. I tried to pet him, but he ran away again and went deeper into the forest. The next thing I knew this…thing…like a demon, I think, was coming out from the trees where Azor had gone."

Tears started streaming down Henry's face and he sobbed as he continued to talk. "Mom, I think that it killed Azor. He was hurt and after he went into the forest, I never heard him bark or anything again. It's my fault he's dead."

He buried his head against Regina's chest as she pulled him into a tight hug. "I know this isn't easy Henry, but I need you to tell me what happened next."

She felt his head nod before he pulled away and wiped his eyes. "I was so scared, Mom; I swear the demon was turning around, looking for me. Maybe I smelled like Azor because he had licked me, I don't know. I grabbed the walkie talkie and hid behind a big log so he couldn't see me. Then I called Emma and she came and found me. Next thing I knew, you were there, too, right before Emma and the demon fought." He felt better after telling his mom, especially since it was obvious that she wasn't going to punish him.

"I think your broken wrist is punishment enough, Henry; but if you ever pull a stunt like that again…."

He nodded. "I won't I promise."

She glanced at her watch, noting it was near Henry's bedtime. "Go get ready for bed; I'll get you something for the pain so you can sleep."

Once he was tucked in Regina went downstairs to her study. She picked up the phone and dialed the number to the nurses' desk at the hospital. "This is Mayor Mills; I'm calling for an update on Emma Swan." She demanded.

"Of course, Madame Mayor. Miss Swan woke up momentarily this evening, but is sleeping again. There's been no significant change to any of her vital signs."

Regina perked up. "Did she say anything when she woke up?"

She could hear the nurse flipping through the pages of Emma's chart. "No, ma'am, she was pretty out of it."

Regina sighed. "Thank you, call me if anything changes."

The next morning she dropped Henry off at school, promising to let him come to the hospital to visit Emma after school. "That is, if you don't skip out at recess." She affectionately mussed his hair.

She glared at Miss Blanchard as she watched Henry go into the school. _I will never forgive you, bitch_.

Mary Margaret gave a half-hearted wave to the Mayor, who sped away from the school and towards the hospital.

"Doctor Whale, how lovely to see you this morning." She greeted the doctor with a smile as she entered Emma's room.

"Ah…Madame Mayor. I'm afraid I have nothing new to report." He studied the chart as he checked the monitor readouts. "Miss Swan seems to be responding well to the medications, her white blood count is down this morning, although it's still well above normal. It will take a couple days for the blood cultures to grow so we can ensure we are chasing the correct infection. But, I'm encouraged by this morning's blood tests. I've got other patients to round on, so if you will excuse me."

Regina pulled up the hard plastic chair next to Emma's bed, the chair legs scraping on the linoleum floor. She sat and watched the Sheriff's steady breathing, lulled by the rhythmic pattern. Every machine beeped and clicked steadily as she tried to make sense of the numbers and patterns on the monitors. She gave up and returned her attention to the sleeping woman.

She brushed some stray blonde hairs out of Emma's face, letting her fingers guide the hairs around Emma's ears. She traced the hairline on Emma's forehead, soothed by the soft warmth of the woman's skin.

"Thank you…" Regina whispered. "…for finding and saving Henry."

Her voice caught in her throat and she coughed to clear it. "Losing him would have killed me." She confessed to the unconscious form.

Her hand trailed down to Emma's bare arm as she continued her light ministration. "I saw you in the forest; you were very brave." She gave a mirthless laugh. "I bet you were shocked to see a demon, but you didn't show it. You were almost fast enough to escape this."

She touched the padded bandages on Emma's shoulder. "I can only hope that antibiotics work."

She stood to leave and placed a gentle kiss on Emma's cheek. "I have to go to work or I'd stay with you all day." She traced Emma's cheekbone with her thumb.

"Please wake up." She kissed her forehead this time before walking out the door.

"Good morning, Regina." Michael sat at his desk tapping his pencil to an upbeat song when the Mayor walked into the lobby.

"Here are your messages." He handed her a thick stack of pink papers marked _while you were out_. "And here is your agenda for the rest of the week."

She glanced down at her workload, surprised to find her agenda was clear.

"I took the liberty of rescheduling all of your meetings, except for your appearance on the noon news show in two hours. The television station has been dogging me since yesterday to get you in for an interview about the attack. I picked out an outfit for you to wear, as well as running off copies of all the articles I could find that mention the incident. Fortunately it seems the story has been contained to Storybrooke news."

He handed her the thin folder marked 'Bear attack articles'. "I've got fresh coffee for you and the bakery was kind enough to bring by two apple fritters and…" he held up the half eaten pastry. "…two bear claws. Yours are on your desk."

The phone rang, interrupting his monologue. "Oh hi, Kevin." He waved at her as she left for the privacy and quiet of her office.

She sorted the pink messages into piles based on priority. Starting with the urgent ones she began making phone calls as she nibbled on her apple fritter.

The intercom buzzed as she hung up from the call with the fire chief. "Regina, Rose is on line four; she sounds upset."

Regina quickly pushed the button to answer. "Rose, is everything okay?"

She heard a combination of curses and sobs from the other end of the line. "Regina, I've been robbed."

"Are you hurt?"

"No, but whoever it was knew what to look for…my journals are missing, as well as my whole supply of Lady's Slipper root. Everything else has been upended and thrown on the floor. My garden has been trampled, I don't know if I can save any of the plants."

Her distressed voice caused the Mayor's heart to ache. "Rose, I'm on my way."

The Sheriff's car, retrieved from the Mill Road by Grannie and Ruby, was sitting in front of the apothecary shop when Regina pulled her Mercedes up to the curb.

One of the men who volunteered at the Sheriff's office, whom Regina recognized as one of her personal guardsmen in the other realm, was talking to Rose and taking notes; two more volunteers were inside the shop taking pictures of the damages and looking for evidence from the break-in.

Regina stood next to the healer, wrapping one arm around Rose's waist, and listened to the woman talk.

"I went to the bakery, like I always do at eight o'clock. I ran a couple of errands that kept me out longer than usual; my hours are nine in the morning until three p.m., but I didn't get back until nine fifteen. When I came back the front door was open, so I peered inside and called the Sheriff's office right away."

The volunteer made copious notes as Rose continued talking. "I went inside, making sure I didn't touch anything. I could tell my books were gone as well as the small supply of Lady's Slipper root that was right by my register."

"Was anything else missing?" The young man asked.

"Not that I could tell. But most of my garden is destroyed. Who would do such a thing?" She lamented.

Mr. Gold sat in his small office and flipped through the pages of the healer's journals. He photocopied some of the more interesting pages that pertained to antidotes and herbal remedies he wasn't already familiar with.

_Interesting, I hadn't considered that_.

He glanced over at his safe, which contained the stolen herbs from Rose's shop. _You're very talented, Rose, but I can't let you just heal the Sheriff without me profiting from the deal. _

The bell on the door lightly jingled. "Hello?" He called out to the closed shop.

He saw her as she navigated the crowded shop. "How can I help you, Agnes…I mean Baba Yaga?"

"Was it you?" She accused the shopkeeper, glaring at him in disdain. "You know what happens if she dies."

He laughed, giggled actually, at her concern. "Now dearie, you've told me of your visions of blackness. Don't worry, I'll make sure that Rose gets what she needs to heal Emma, if the Mayor pays the price. But if not…well, I can't be held responsible for her stubbornness."

Baba Yaga's eyes narrowed. "You are a bigger fool than I thought. Dealing with you is like dealing with the devil himself; and I should know, I've made a few deals with him. Give back what you took or there will be hell to pay."

Rumplestiltskin grinned. "And what, my dear, do you think you could threaten me with? You're just a crazy old gypsy woman with supposed visions of the future. No threat to me, I assure you. Now, if you don't mind…I'm a busy man."

She pulled the Polaroid photo out from the folds in her cloak. "I may not be able to physically harm you, Mr. Gold, but I can surely inflict pain on them."

She showed him the unmistakable photo of the dark haired man, fishing at a lake with a small boy. "Do you think you would feel the pain when I kill your son and grandson?"

He grabbed the photo from her hands. "You wouldn't dare."

She pulled the hood back over her head. "Perhaps I wouldn't, but I do know people who would. Give the items back to the healer or rest assured that you will lose your family forever."

He stared at the photo of the smiling man teaching the small boy how to fish. The sunshine reflecting off of the lake and the mountains in the background completed the perfect image of bliss.

He tucked the photo in the pocket near his heart and made his choice. _I can still have leverage._ He thought as he reread the list of ingredients for the antidote.

He grabbed two vases and filled one with ashes from his fireplace before locking up the journals inside his safe.

He gently sat the vases down in his car, careful to not spill the ashes. Once they were secured he drove off, heading towards Mill Road.

It was easy to find the spot where the attack had taken place, multiple tire tracks were imbedded in the mud on the shoulder of the road. He pulled up to the area and retrieved his vases.

The trail to the forest floor was tricky to navigate, especially with one bum leg and his hands full; but Mr. Gold managed to negotiate the path without slipping. Once he reached the bottom he carefully searched for his objective.

The pile of ash was smaller now, the wind having spread a fair amount of it through the air. Mr. Gold carefully filled the empty vase with the dark gray powder. Setting it aside, he dumped the wood ash from the other vase and mixed it together with the pile.

"Not pure demon ash now." He cackled.

"Good afternoon, Storybrooke! This is Sally Montage of Noon Hour News keeping you updated on all the local news stories. Today we have an exclusive interview with our very own esteemed Mayor Regina Mills, mother of Henry Mills who survived a frightening bear attack yesterday morning.

In other news, Rose McGovern, owner of the local apothecary and herb shop, reported that her store was vandalized this morning. The Sheriff's office is looking into the robbery; if you have any information that could assist them please call our hotline. We'll be right back after this commercial break to interview the Mayor and to give you an update on the ongoing investigation.

Regina fussed with the microphone on her lapel as she waited for the commercial break to end.

The anchorwoman smiled at the Mayor. "Tough day yesterday?"

Regina gave her a withering gaze. "That's an understatement. Let's just get this interview done with so I can get back to work."

The woman seemed to shrink under the Mayor's glare, but turned on all of her charm when the cameraman said "We're back in 3….2….." He counted down on his fingers, giving her a silent "One" before the camera light flickered on.

"And we're back." Sally smiled brightly as she smoothly read from the teleprompter. "Today, as promised, we have Regina Mills, the illustrious Mayor of our small town. She's here today to talk to us about yesterday's attack that nearly took the life of her son Henry as well as that of Sheriff Emma Swan, who still lies unconscious in a private room at Storybrooke Hospital. The hospital refuses to give us any news about the Sheriff's condition, but sources close to the Sheriff say she is near death."

Regina startled at the report and looked piercingly at the anchorwoman who had the gall to turn to her and continue her story.

"Madame Mills, your son, Henry, was nearly killed yesterday by an alleged bear attack. What can you tell me about the incident?"

Regina smothered her concern and looked directly at the anchorwoman. "Well, Sally, as you can imagine it was a frightening experience to watch as the Sheriff dueled the beast to save Henry's life. I'm still shook up over the whole thing."

She smirked as Sally obviously ate up the Mayor's tale. "Of course, of course; who wouldn't be after seeing their child in such danger? Madame Mayor, can you tell me if you've seen the Sheriff since she was admitted yesterday?"

Regina shook her head. "Due to HIIPA privacy laws, the hospital has been unable to tell me anything about the Sheriff's condition. I can only wish her the best as she hopefully heals soon."

Sally turned back to the camera, her smile widening. "Thank you Madame Mayor; although the hospital reports seem grim, rest assured that Emma Swan is in all of our thoughts and prayers."

Regina ripped the microphone off of her suit jacket and threw it to the floor.

She waited until Sally went back to a commercial break before confronting the woman. Regina's eyes were blazing with fury. "Who is your hospital source?" She demanded from the newswoman.

Sally blanched and confessed. "I don't know. I just read off of the teleprompter." She pointed towards the blue screen as it scrolled words.

Regina faced her again, this time stopping mere inches from the woman's face as she pulled on the anchorwoman's blouse. "Then who does know?"

Sally stuttered before answering. "Michelle, in the glass booth."

Regina let her grip on Sally loosen.

"I have to change my blouse before I'm back on the air." She heard as she stormed up the stairway to the booth.

The red-headed woman watched in fear as the Mayor fiercely pulled on the control booth door.

"You know what the question is, so save both of us time…and your shirt…and tell me who it is." Her tone and her stern expression brooked no argument. "

It was anonymous, Mayor Mills; just a man's voice saying he had news for us."

Regina snapped. "And you just took him at his word, no verifying if he was telling the truth or not?"

Michelle shook her head. "Here in Storybrooke, any news is news; either the Sheriff is dying and our show will be the first to break the news, or she will be fine and we can report a miraculous recovery."

Regina willed her hands to stop shaking as she sat in her car in the station parking lot.

_Damn it_.

She didn't know if she was cursing her temper or that she cared so much about the Sheriff living or dying.

_Double damn it_. She settled on both.

"Michael." She barked when her assistant picked up the phone at her office. "Call Rose, have her meet me at the hospital a.s.a.p." She hung up before he could say goodbye.

She felt the adrenaline surging through her body as she raced towards the hospital. She took the back way inside, taking the stairs two at a time. She was out of breath when she reached the floor where Emma was assigned.

The hallway was clear, so she slipped into Emma's room unseen. She bent over, hands on her knees, to catch her breath; relief filling her when she realized the woman was still alive.

The monitors and machines clicked and beeped in the same steady rhythm as they had earlier in the morning. Regina slowly walked towards the bed as she watched the unconscious woman. She tentatively touched Emma's face, before letting her hand settle softly on the skin.

"Someone says you are going to die." She felt the prick of tears in her eyes. "But…you're stronger than that."

She felt the tears sliding down her cheeks. "I know we've butted heads since you've gotten here, well until lately. Emma, I can't imagine Storybrooke without you now." Her thumb caressed the blonde's face.

"I can't imagine what would happen to Henry if he lost you. I think it would destroy him."

She didn't hear the man as he entered the room until he spoke.

"And what would it do to you, Madame Mayor?"

She spun around in surprise, anger filling her at the familiar sound of Mr. Gold's voice. "This is not a good time, Rumple." She hissed.

He merely stood his ground and gave her a grave smile. "I saw you on the news today. Not a very flattering interview, if I may say so. It seems the Sheriff is worse off than was imagined."

He walked up to the other side of the bed and touched Emma's arm. "Shame to lose her so soon, being Henry's mother and your….Sheriff."

He pulled the vial from his pocket. "Neither of us wants her to die, so we do have something in common. I think we should work together to ensure that she stays alive.

"I have here a bottle of pure demon ash. As I'm sure you know this is one of the key ingredients to preparing an antidote. I also have…" He pulled out a small bag of leaves. "A bit of Lady's Slipper root that someone sold to me today. I suppose it came from Rose's shop since I also purchased her journals."

"You bastard! You broke into her shop and stole those things from her." She seethed as she eyed the bag.

His smile disappeared. "Nothing you'll ever be able to prove. However, I am willing to give these…" He held up the ashes and roots. "…as well as her journals in a small deal with you."

Silence filled the room, only the machines dared to beep as Mr. Gold waited patiently for Regina to give in.

"Tell me your terms, and then I'll decide." She conceded.

"Very well, and it's quite a simple one if you ask me. I trade you the journals and the herbs in exchange for a promise that if we ever get back to the other realm I will be a free man. No prisons, no warrants for my arrest, no price on my head. I live free until I die. Agreed?"

She took a moment to weigh the price. "Agreed. Now what about the demon ash?"

He smiled a wicked grin. "That, my dear, will cost you quite a bit more."


	19. Chapter 19

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fanfiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed. Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru, for finding my mistakes

Feel free to leave me a review and let me know what you think.

**Realm of Shadows**

**Chapter Nineteen**

Half of her kingdom in exchange for the vial of demon ash was a steep price for Regina to pay. Of course it was theoretical since first the curse must be broken.

"I need some time to decide." She told Mr. Gold.

"Of course, dearie, though I must remind you that time is something the dear Sheriff is running out of. Let me know when you make up your mind; you know where to find me."

"Good afternoon, Rose." Mr. Gold greeted the healer as he passed her in the hospital corridor.

She acknowledged him with a nod as she headed towards Emma's room.

"Regina, are you alright?" She looked at the Mayor who was standing and gently rubbing Emma's arm, deep in contemplation.

"Regina." She called again, this time getting the Mayor's attention.

Regina smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Hello, Rose, thank you for coming so quickly." She gestured to the chair. "Your journals and Lady's Slipper root have been returned. Mr. Gold claims someone sold them to him this morning."

Rose inspected each of the books carefully, as well as the bag of herbs. "Thank you Regina, they all seem intact."

She watched as emotions flashed across the Mayor's face. The healer stood next to the brunette and gently touched her lower back.

"Tell me what's wrong, hon." Regina welcomed the healer's touch, finding strength in knowing that someone besides Henry really did care about her.

She finally spoke. "He has some demon ash, but the price is steep. I just wish there was another way."

"How is she?" Rose nodded to the patient.

Regina continued softly rubbing the blonde's arm. "Doctor Whale says it will be a couple days till we know if the antibiotics are really working. She woke up for a few seconds last night, but she didn't say anything. She was pretty out of it; she's been like this since then."

Rose watched Emma closely; the only sign of life being her steady breathing and the pattern on the cardiac monitor.

"Will the antibiotics work on the wound?" Regina wondered aloud.

Rose whispered the answer. "I don't know, I've never seen them tried before. We didn't have the chance with Damian Pearson; he was already too far gone."

Regina slowly nodded in understanding. "Then I'll make the deal with Mr. Gold."

"Let's just go over this one more time before you have to give in to that man." Rose sat down, taking her journals in her lap and thumbing through the pages. "Ok, we have all of the ingredients for the antidote except for the demon ash. Couldn't we just go gather some ourselves from the forest?"

Regina brightened. "Henry did point to the pile where the demon dematerialized. Do you have any unbroken vials, Rose?"

The healer shook her head. "Every one of them was smashed to bits, even the full ones; seems someone didn't want us to be able to gather the ash after all."

Regina looked around the room. "They have sterile equipment and containers all over this place, what if we found one? Could we use it?"

Rose considered the question. "Yes, that should work just fine."

Rose snuck down to the supply closet while Regina kept the nurses busy with questions. It didn't take her long to find two urine sample cups that were taped closed for sterilization. She put them in her purse before walking out into the hallway and past Regina.

"Have a great day Madame Mayor. I hope to see you again soon."

Regina smiled; the healer's wording told her that Rose had been successful. "You too, Rose. Take care now."

She turned back to the nurse. "I have to get back to City Hall; call me if anything changes." She took the elevator down to the main foyer, walked outside and got into Rose's car.

They quickly traveled the miles to the forested area. Carefully they treaded down the slippery slope to the bottom of the hill.

"Over here." Rose walked to the pile of ash, unsealed a urine cup and started to fill it with the gray powder.

"Wait…" Regina examined the pile with her hands, feeling the energy of the ash with her senses. "…This isn't pure demon ash. Not anymore; it's been tampered with."

Rose looked at the Mayor. "How can you tell?"

Regina shrugged. "I can just feel it. Damn it, this won't work."

Rose dumped the ash out of the container. "Look around, see if there's anything else we can use." They spent half an hour searching the forest.

Rose found a handful of mushrooms that she could use for other antidotes. She also scraped the tree bark for some moss to restock her supply at the store.

"I don't see anything here at all Regina; we'd need a bloodhound to find any trace of the demon."

Regina sighed. "Let's head back to town then. I've got to pick up Henry from school and take him to see Emma. Can I call you later tonight? We can talk then."

Henry was waiting expectantly when his mother pulled up to the curb. He unloaded his books into the back seat before sliding into the front and buckling up.

"Can we buy Emma flowers before we go see her? I want to bring her some for a present."

"Of course, Henry, let's go pick her out a nice arrangement."

They stopped at the hospital gift shop, where Henry picked out a large vase of red carnations and white baby's breath.

"Those are lovely." Regina commented as he signed the card.

He handed her the pen. "You should sign it, too." She held the pen tightly; trying to decide what words could convey her thoughts. None are adequate enough. She just signed her name to his sentiment.

"Is she going to wake up soon?" Henry peered over the bedrail at Emma's sleeping form.

Regina sat the vase of flowers on the small table where Emma could see them if she awoke. "The doctors don't know for sure, Henry."

She watched as he took the blonde's hand in his. "Come on, Emma, you have to wake up now."

He kissed her and softly whispered. "I love you." Still, she never moved.

"Can't you wake her up?" He asked without malice, referring to his old beliefs that she was the Evil Queen.

She shook her head sadly. "If I had such a power, Henry, I would have used it long ago. We have to rely on the doctors and hope that she'll recover."

He frowned. "I wish right now that you did have magic."

She stood next to him and wrapped her arm around his shoulder while she watched Emma. "So do I, Henry. So do I."

Regina sat somberly at the desk in her study, downing the small goblet of apple cider. Her soul was tired: Tired of fighting Mr. Gold, tired of letting down Henry, tired of being alone in this world. She touched her lips, remembering the kiss that she and Emma had shared just the day before. It seemed that when fate had teased her, giving her a small ray of hope, it snatched it back into its unforgiving claws. She had to do something, anything to help Emma survive, even if it meant making the deal with Mr. Gold.

_The deal can wait until morning; all hope isn't gone yet. _

She dialed the phone number by heart. "Hello Rose, I hope I didn't wake you….I'm glad…any luck on your research?...hmmm, that could be a challenge….of course, come over, I'll be awake….just let yourself in, I'm in my study."

She stood and went to the kitchen to make a pot of tea. It was going to be a long night so she went up to her bedroom and changed into a pair of black jeans and a gray tight fitting turtleneck shirt. She brushed her hair and teeth, feeling refreshed and ready for a night of work.

She heard the door open just as she was finishing the tea. "I'm in here, Rose." She called from her study.

The healer entered the room with her arms full of her books and a plate of cookies. "An old recipe I found. I had made a note that they were one of your favorites."

Regina took the plate and smiled. Unable to resist the thin almond cookies, she snuck a hand under the plastic wrap and snagged one of the treats.

"I haven't had these in years, Rose." She covered her mouth with her hand as she mumbled through the mouthful of cookie. "They are as wonderful as ever."

"Well, it's easier to make them since I can just buy butter at the store rather than having to trade herbs or medicines for it."

Rose laughed as Regina stole another cookie from the plate.

She gently slapped the Mayor's hand. "Now, don't eat all of them, save a few for Henry."

Regina scowled, but the twinkle in her eye gave away her good spirits. "Let's have some tea then, and you can tell me what you've found."

"Did I hear Rose's voice?" Henry poked his head into his mother's study.

"Young Henry! Come in and join us." Rose beamed at the boy.

Henry came and sat next to the healer, who handed him a cookie.

"These are awesome." He effused as he looked at his mother. "Can I have one more, please?"

Regina took two of the cookies from the plate and handed one to her son as she sat on the couch, picked up the teapot, and carefully poured three cups of the hot liquid.

Rose sipped at her tea before continuing. "Right, so I went back to my shop after we left the hospital. I think I can establish that it was…" She looked to Regina for permission to speak in front of Henry.

"Go ahead, Rose, he's going to find out one way or another. Henry, no questions; just listen, okay? I'll answer anything you want to ask later." Henry nodded in confusion.

"Okay, Rose, go on." The Mayor prompted.

"Well, I can establish that the demon was from the other realm, but how it got here…I'll leave that part up to you, Regina. The wounds that Emma received are very similar to the ones from my story about Maryanne, the butchers daughter, as well as Damian Pearson's who was attacked 28 years ago."

Regina nodded in agreement as she held up her hand to quiet Henry.

The Mayor chimed in. "I don't think the demon harmed Azor, I think Azor turned into the demon. Henry told me the story of what happened and I'm sure the dog lured him down to the forest to attack him."

She put one arm around her son to give him some measure of comfort. He forgot to be quiet. "What if Emma hadn't found me in time?"

Regina hugged Henry tighter as Rose answered. "But she did, so let's focus on what we can do rather than what ifs."

She opened the old journal to a page that was filled with sketching and what appeared to Henry to be a recipe.

"This is the antidote I used to cure Maryanne. I have all but one ingredient, the Demon's ashes, which as we know Mr. Gold is bartering for in trade."

Henry looked in amazement at the two women who were sitting calmly discussing demons and antidotes.

"Without them, I don't think we can heal Emma."

Henry brightened for a moment. "But the demon turned into a pile of ashes, we can get some from there."

Regina sadly shook her head. "We've already tried, but someone, probably Mr. Gold, contaminated what was left. The ash that's there is now useless."

Henry paused before tentatively suggesting. "What about the horn?" Regina and Rose looked at him, perplexed.

"What horn, Henry?" His mother asked.

"When Emma shot the demon, she hit his head and broke off one of its horns. Couldn't we use that?"

Regina looked to the healer. "Would it work, Rose?"

The healer nodded quickly. "I don't see why it wouldn't. But we searched everywhere today; if it was there we should have found it."

Regina stood and went to her desk. "Maybe, maybe not; but if it's still there, I know someone who can sniff it out."

She picked up the phone. "Grannie, is Ruby home?"

Twenty minutes later the foursome was loaded in Regina's car, heading towards the forest.

"Thank you for agreeing to this, Ruby." Regina glanced at the girl in her rearview mirror.

The waitress shrugged. "It's fine; I'm just glad I can help Emma somehow."

Rose turned and looked at her. "You just might save her life if you can find the horn."

They pulled onto the shoulder of the road, next to all of the other tire tracks. All four of them got out of the car and looked towards the forest.

Henry was the first to speak. "It's really dark out, are you sure you can find it Ruby?"

The girl smiled. "If it's there, I'll find it. Okay show me which way to start."

Henry pointed to the left. "The trail is right here, but the um, Emma shot it over there."

Ruby sniffed before heading down the trail.

She returned shortly with her arms full of different bones. She handed them one at a time to Rose, who identified the remains.

"Deer femur, coyote mandible, shoulder joint of a skunk, no a badger, and a rabbit's foot."

Ruby handed her one more curled bone. "You did it Ruby!" The healer held tightly to the demon's horn. "Praise the Gods, you found it."

Regina took the horn from the healer and ran her hands over the rough surface.

"I know who this demon belonged to." She whispered to Rose.

Dr. Whale was checking Emma's deep tendon reflexes by tapping her right knee with the rubber hammer when he saw Regina, Henry and the healer enter her room.

"It's late, but I'm glad you came by." He spoke to the Mayor, though her eyes were focused on Emma's smooth bare leg.

"She woke up again and asked for you."

Regina's jerked and faced the doctor with wide eyes. "She asked for me? Why?"

"I don't know; she passed out again before she said anything more than your name."

He then asked the healer. "Did you have any luck?"

She held up the urine cup which was now full of a muddy green serum.

"I hope it helps." He admitted. "She isn't responding well to the antibiotics. Is that the same as you used on Damian?"

She nodded. "A bit different; more powerful I hope."

He passed her a four inch wide strip of gauze. "Well, let's hope it's strong enough."

"I want to test something first." Rose looked at Henry. "Can I have a drop of your blood?"

Henry glanced at his mom, trepidation in his eyes.

"It will be okay, sweetie; plus it will help Emma." He nodded as he bravely held out his arm to the healer.

"Dooctor, would you mind helping me?" Rose asked as he pulled a lancet out of the drawer.

"You'll just feel a little prick." The Doctor said as he rubbed the boy's fingertip with an alcohol-soaked cotton ball.

Henry jerked a bit as he felt the sting followed by the doctor squeezing on his finger. "Well done, Henry. I'm all finished."

Henry opened his eyes and peered at Rose, watching her closely as she put a dab of the antidote on the bloody test stick. It turned a deep purple as it mixed with his drop of blood.

"Good." She stated as she watched the chemical reaction.

"Will it work?" He asked.

"Only time will tell." She answered as she uncovered Emma's shoulder and began covering the festering wounds with the serum.

"Now we just give it time to work." The header declared, closing the lid on the plastic cup.

Henry held Emma's hand. "How long till it helps" He asked as he watched Emma's closed eyes.

"Difficult to say how it works here, could be minutes, hours…or never." Rose said as she washed and dried her hands.

Regina put one arm around Henry's shoulder. "We should go and let her sleep. Doctor Whale will call us if there are any changes. Plus, I'm sure that you have a lot of questions that I need to answer."

He nodded, slowly releasing Emma's fingers as he took the hand Regina offered him.

They sat in the study, Regina patiently letting Henry ask questions. Rose had bowed out and went home to sleep with Regina's promise that if anything changed Regina would call her.

"So, everything in my book is actually true?" He peered at her, looking for signs of deception.

"Yes, Henry."

"So, you are the Evil Queen?"

Regina sighed and nodded. "That is what some of my enemies have called me, though I don't think it was entirely deserved."

He considered that. "Are you evil now?"

She gave him a sad smile. "You can't love someone and still be completely evil; at least not in my book. And no matter what you think, no matter what you've read- I do love you, Henry."

The shop was dark and lonely, matching the pawnbroker's mood.

_So close_. He lamented at the deal left unmade.

He toyed with the vial of demon ash before placing it on the shelf. _Someday it may be needed again. Perhaps then she'd pay the price_.

The shop bell rang. Mr. Gold arose, his cane clicking on the cement floor as he exited his office.

"Shop's closed…." He paused as he tried to recognize the female figure that stood in his store.

"Perhaps you would care to make a deal with me, Mr. Gold." Rose walked towards the man.

"Ah, Rose, you outfoxed me once again. But pray tell, what do you have to offer that I might be interested in?"

She held up the broken demon's horn. "Perhaps a slice of demon's horn in exchange for that vial of ash? The ash does you no good as it is, but I'm sure you could find a good use for demon horn."

With a greedy glint in his eye, Mr. Gold gladly bowed his head to the healer. "That sounds like a fair deal to me, dearie."

Returning to his office after the healer had traded him for the ash; Mr. Gold sat at his desk and played with the thin slice of horn as if it were a poker chip.

The familiar cloaked woman appeared in the doorway to his office.

"You traded the ash, I take it?"

"Yes." He smiled. "For a nice slice of demon's horn."

The gypsy snatched the round piece from his hands and sniffed it carefully. "Rumplestiltskin, you should have done your research first. This is nothing but bovine horn."

He took the chip back and licked it. "She tricked me!" He screeched as the gypsy laughed.

"It serves you right, Rumple. You tried to make a profit off of saving the Sheriff's life. Had the healer failed, everything, including our lives would have been forfeit. Let that useless bone chip serve as a reminder that your stupid greed could have cost us everything."


	20. Chapter 20

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

Feel free to send me a message and tell me what you think

**Chapter Twenty**

Regina sat on her porch and watched as the sun rose over the Atlantic Ocean to the east of Storybrooke. _Having a house on the highest point in town has its advantages. _She liked the quietness that early weekend mornings brought; no traffic, no phone calls, nothing but a clean slate to work with.

_Emma. _The name and the woman had been on her mind since Regina left the hospital last night; the Sheriff still in the firm grasp of the coma. _Maybe she'll wake up today. _She hoped as she sipped her black coffee. She resisted the urge to call the hospital for a status report. _It's only five thirty and they would have called me if there were changes. _

She padded to her desk in her study and pulled out a thick envelope and opened it to let the entire photo collection that Sydney had compiled slide onto the desktop. _Henry and Emma. _

She studied each of the pictures closely; a small smile crept onto her face as she looked at the blonde and her son. _They have the same nose and chin. _ She sorted the photos into stacks and looked through the whole lot again. There was no jealousy or anger as she deliberated on each shot; only a sense of loss for what could have been. _Perhaps if I hadn't tried to chase her off when she first came here; or if I had welcomed her into Henry's life more gracefully. _She took a deep breath, chasing away the regret. _I couldn't have known how much she would matter to me. _She admitted as she refilled her cup and returned to the study.

The idea came to her, and having nothing else to do that morning, she embraced it and got to work. She looked up at the clock, surprised that over an hour had passed and she still was only partway through the project. She precisely lined up each element, ensuring a balance of color and design.

"What'cha doin, mom?" A sleepy Henry had found his way to her and sat on her knee, looking at the table.

"I…" She announced as she rubbed his back. "…am working on a collage of photos for Emma's room."

He looked at the three pages of scrapbooking that Regina had assembled. "Wow, there's a lot of pictures of me and Emma." He paused. "Um…why do you have so many?" She considered trying to put a nice spin on what she had done, but realized that he would probably see right through the lies; so she settled on a mostly truthful answer.

"When Emma first moved here, I admit… I was worried that she might try to take you away from me. So, I asked Sydney to follow you and make sure you were alright."

He looked at the photos again and then back to the collage. "You need to put some pictures of you on there too, mom."

She bashfully demurred. "Henry, I don't really think Emma would want that." _Though I wish she did. _She admitted to herself.

Henry hopped up from her lap and ran upstairs. Although she called out "No running in the house, Henry" it fell on deaf ears. Moments later he was back with a dog-eared snapshot of her from a year before. "I kept it in my dresser drawer. It's my favorite." He confessed. She looked at the picture of herself dressed in denim shorts and a tank top. "It's from that time we went on a picnic to the waterfalls." He reminded her as she grinned broadly.

"I remember." She laughed. The picture of her, waving at the camera and smiling as Henry took the shot, reminded her of how carefree she used to be; before her mother killed Daniel, before she married Leopold, before…._before a lot of things that made me who I am. _"Put it on the page right there." He pointed to an empty corner on the decorated sheet. She acquiesced and put the double stick tape on the back of the picture before attaching it to the page.

"Can we take it to her now?" Henry chimed.

She smiled at his enthusiasm. "Let's have breakfast first and then we'll call the hospital to see if she can have visitors."

They pulled up to the hospital and took the elevator up to Emma's floor. "Why don't you go to her room while I talk to Dr. Whale?" Regina told her son. He smiled and nodded at her before turning down the corridor to her room. The Mayor stood at the nurses' station and waited for the Doctor to finish talking with one of the night nurses.

"Good morning, Madame Mayor." He greeted her with a gentle smile which she returned. "I'm pleased to report that Miss Swan seems to be improving. Her blood tests are showing marked improvement over yesterday, and she has been moving a bit, though she's still unconscious. I have hope that she's turned the corner."

"Do you think she'll wake up anytime soon?" Regina asked expectantly.

"Well, I see no reason why not; her vital signs have improved, and with the involuntary movement I would think that Emma's working hard to come to."

Regina had to admit. "Well, she definitely **is** a fighter."

Regina padded into Emma's room and pulled open the shades. "I think she'd like to know that it's morning, Henry, don't you?" He was busy arranging the three sheets of rigid paper so that Emma would be able to see them all from her bed.

"What do you think, mom?" She admired his work.

"I think it's lovely, Henry. Emma will really like it when she wakes up."

"I'll like what?" The blonde moaned, trying to clear her head and recognize the familiar voices.

"Emma! You're awake!" Henry rushed over and nearly crawled on the Sheriff.

"Henry! Go tell the nurses!" Regina quickly ordered to avoid further injury to Emma.

He ran from the room, shouting down the hallways. "She's awake!" Seconds later he returned with a nurse in tow.

"Good morning, Miss Swan, it's nice of you to join us." The nurse smiled at the dazed patient. "I'm Lauren, your nurse; I'm just going to check your vitals and report to the doctor." Emma slowly nodded.

"Water, please." She croaked.

They sat in her room, Henry holding Emma's hand and Regina slowly feeding her the ice chips that Lauren had given to her. Emma tried to keep her eyes open so that she could focus on Regina and her son, but she was sooo tired. "Sleepy." She mumbled.

Regina smoothed her hair. "You've had a couple of hard days, Emma; you should sleep." She grudgingly admitted.

"Come back later?" A groggy Emma gave the Mayor her puppy dog-eyes look. Regina laughed at the expression.

"Of course we will." She fought the urge to kiss the Sheriff, who had already fallen into a light slumber.

Leaving the hospital, they sat in her car as she dialed the healer. "She woke up, Rose….no, Henry and I were there….I know, I can't believe it….I didn't get a chance to check her shoulder….yes, the doctor was there…..she is sleeping, but they assure us she is not back in her coma….no, Rose, thank _**you**_ for everything….I will…have a great day. Goodbye. I love you, too."

Henry fidgeted in his seat. "Everything alright, Henry?" He stopped moving, but his shoulders had slumped forward. "Henry?" Regina asked again, this time putting her hand on his forearm.

He looked up at her dejectedly. "I just…I'm okay, it's nothing."

She turned towards him and gently took his chin. "If something is bothering you, Henry, then it isn't nothing."

He shrugged. "I guess, but it's dumb." She waited for him to continue. "I just…well, I've been thinking. Since my book is right and she is the White Knight and you are the…" he hesitated. "…the Queen. I just always figured she would save everybody by destroying you."

"Oh." She answered quietly.

"But, I don't want her to destroy you; I want her to save you, too." The tear rolled down his cheek and splashed on his jeans.

"Henry, I don't think that I can be saved, to be honest; I've done many things in my life that I'm not proud of, things that would make you ashamed."

He cocked his head and studied her. "Like poisoning Snow White?"

She grimaced, tasting the bitterness on her tongue at the mention of her nemesis. "It wasn't poison, it was a spell; but yes, like that. There is a reason they called me the Evil Queen."

He leaned on her arm. "If anyone can save you, Emma can; and I'll help her. You said it yourself that you can't be completely evil if you have love in your heart."

"Miss Blanchard, I just thought you'd like to know that Emma woke up." Regina scowled as she called the teacher on the phone. _You can do this, Regina; you can be…civil to even her. _ "No problem, glad I could share the good news. Goodbye." She flipped the cell phone closed and gripped it tightly.

"See, mom, that wasn't so hard to be nice." Henry praised her.

She smiled at her son. "You're right; it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be." _As long as I don't have to do it very often. _"Though I still think you are being optimistic about this _whole being saved_ thing."

He patted her on the arm. "I still think I'm right."

"Rose, what a pleasant surprise to see you here." Regina entered Emma's hospital room to find the healer applying more ointment to Emma's shoulder.

"Regina." She smiled at the Mayor. "And young Henry, too."

Regina walked towards Emma and held out the chocolate malt. "Doctor Whale cleared you for normal food, so I thought you might like this." Emma nodded enthusiastically as she sucked down the thick coldness. "How are you feeling?" She unconsciously took Emma's hand and gently squeezed her fingers.

"Better." Emma blinked at the contact, but didn't pull back from the Mayor. "Rose here has been telling me stories from your childhood; I didn't know you were a horse rider."

Regina's eyes flickered to the amused healer. "Well, that was a long time ago…" She stuttered. "and I'm sure quite boring to hear."

Rose laughed at the shyness Regina hadn't shown in years. _Probably not since my Daniel. _ "Nonsense Regina, I'm sure Emma and Henry would be interested in…." Rose smiled deviously. "Emma, did you hear about the time that she got bucked off and landed in a patch of stinging nettle?"

Emma's eyes widened as she shook her head and looked at Regina. "Ouch, that must have really hurt."

The mere memory caused Regina to rub at her skin. "Thank goodness Rose had some homemade calamine lotion."

Rose laughed again. "She was covered in pink goop for three days."

For an hour the foursome talked and laughed until it was apparent that Emma was tiring. Rose was the first to notice and bowed gracefully out of the room. "Goodnight, Sheriff. I hope you sleep well tonight."

Regina took Rose's cue and made to leave, too. "We've kept you awake long enough, Emma." Regina softly rubbed Emma's forearm as she talked.

"I'm sorry…" Emma slowly answered as she covered her yawn.

Regina gave the Sheriff a small smile. "You'll get your strength back soon." Emma turned to her son. "Henry, will you and your mom come visit me again tomorrow?"

He grinned at her and nodded. "Love you Emma. See you tomorrow."

She was nearly asleep when the words slipped from her mouth. "Love you both too."

Regina lay wide awake in her bed; three hours of trying, combined with four shots of apple brandy, hadn't worked to help her sleep. _You're reading too much into it. _She replayed Emma's last comment over again in her mind. _She was drugged up and exhausted; for God's sake she just woke up from a coma. _Still, sleep eluded her, forcing her to overthink the past couple of days. _Redemption; was it even possible for her. And, if it was, did she want it? _She thought of all of the power and glory that she had wielded in the other realm; the ability to rip out hearts, conjure demons…_Throw a wicked fireball…_to instill fear in the hearts of every person in and out of her realm.

But, in the end, she admitted.._it wasn't enough. All I wanted was to be happy. _Words she spoke to her father as she sacrificed him for her own selfishness. _All that power, all the magic, all the kingdom bowed down to me…but I was miserable then, and would be miserable again if I was back there…alone. _The allure of magic and control paled in comparison to the way Henry looked at her tonight. _He doesn't want me destroyed; he really does love me._

Love was rare; in her lifetime so few truly loved her for her. _Not for my riches, my kingdom, my throne. _She counted on one hand the names of those whom truly loved her and she loved in return: _Daddy, Daniel, Rose, Henry… Emma? _The idea of the Sheriff being the supposed White Knight, destined to destroy the Evil Queen and save the kingdom sat heavily on Regina's mind. _But she does love Henry, and he doesn't want her to destroy me…maybe it will be enough to tip fate's hand. Maybe I still have a chance to be happy after all._


	21. Chapter 21

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

**Chapter Twenty-One**

The room was filled with dim lights from the various machines that tracked her every breath, heartbeat and change in temperature. Emma drifted in and out of sleep; she tried to be brave, but the pain was sometimes too much to bear, and she pushed the button in her hand to receive a numbing dose of morphine. _Tomorrow I'll do better. _She promised herself as she drifted back to a pain free haze.

_The room morphed into a garden, the bold colors of summer flowers mixed with deep blue skies and puffy clouds as white as anything she could ever remember seeing. A gentle wind blew on her face, causing some strands of her blonde hair to wrap across her neck. She quickly tied it back into a long braid, securing it with a thin piece of soft leather. She didn't hear Mary Margaret until the woman was standing right behind her._

"_Emma dear, our guests have arrived." The brunette took in Emma's outfit of tan buckskin pants and a silk navy blue shirt tucked into them. 'At least she's not wearing that hideous red cowhide that she's so fond of.' _

_Emma turned and looked at the woman. Something's changed; she's different somehow. But, try as she might, she couldn't put her finger on it._

_They walked together through the garden, Mary Margaret slipped her hand around Emma's arm. "I know you hate these meetings, Emma, but it really is important that you are well informed of the plans we are devising."_

"_Ah, there you are my dear Snow." James greeted his love. "And I see you found Emma, too; excellent, most everyone has gathered in the war room." He held out his arm for Mary Margaret to take. "Shall we?"_

_The stone walled room was filled with about a dozen people, mostly men, save for Emma and Mary Margaret. Emma watched as David stood and boldly addressed the entire group. "Thank you all for coming on such short notice; our spies have told us that Regina is on the move again. This might be our best chance to stop her before she is able to push further into our realm."_

_Emma noticed the large sheet of parchment paper that lay on the round table; on which sketching of land borders, oceans and castles were drawn. David pointed to a line that ran between what appeared to be two different kingdoms. _

"_The last time she tried to infiltrate the northern border of our realm. Fortunately, we'd been preparing for a war with the goblins at the time and we were able to dispatch troops that were stationed nearby to bolster our regular northern forces.". _

_One tall man with gray touched black hair spoke. "If she had come even twenty lengths closer, my entire city, and the lands of Morrow would have been lost to her forces."_

_David nodded. "The Duke of Morrow is right, we got lucky last time; this time she won't catch us so unprepared."_

_The room filled with the buzz of voices, each trying to talk over the others as they discussed the matter. David held up his hand for silence, which was given immediately._

"_Our spies have reported that there are sightings of Regina's armies on the western border here…" He pointed to a mountain pass on the western line. "….and here. I dispatched troops to both locations four days ago; both have sent back messengers that tell of a build up near these locations. They cannot confirm that it is Regina; but if our suspicions are correct, then she is going to try within a fortnight to attack the cities of Altaire and Valaria."_

_The murmuring returned as the Duke of the Meacham raised his voice. "My cities cannot endure a long, drawn out campaign. Our trade routes are vital to the entire kingdom."_

_David nodded. "That's why we've deployed five hundred soldiers, split evenly between the two cities, to help push back her army. The men will be there by tomorrow; in plenty of time to reinforce the cities walls and garrisons." He looked at a smaller man who wore a scowl on his wrinkled face. "Duke of Christensen?"_

_The older man stabbed the map with his finger. "What if it's a trap and she chooses to attack on the southern border? My part of the kingdom will be defenseless without those soldiers that you took from our cities to fortify the western border." _

_David raised his hands to stave off the man's anger. "I realize that this spreads protection of the southern border a bit thin; but no activity has been reported near your lands in quite some time. Most of your lands are bordered by the sea." He pointed to the oceans. "Unless Regina has built an armada, which we would have known about, you are quite safe for the time being."_

_The man harrumphed, but decided to let the issue go as David continued addressing the group as a whole. "Those of you whose lands the soldiers must cross to get to the western border and back, I request that you assist the kingdom by providing logistical aid and shelter. Duke of Morrow, you will be responsible for doing the same while the soldiers are protecting the western border." The nobleman nodded at David._

"_The rest of you will be called upon to provide volunteers or resources from your lands if the battle with Regina's army proves to be more arduous than anticipated. Any other questions?"  
Every man raised his hand as David patiently began to address each one._

_Emma pulled Mary Margaret towards the doorway. Concern filled her hazel eyes. "What happens if they capture Regina?"_

_Mary Margaret eyed her curiously, before answering in a firm voice. "We kill her, of course."_

Pain ripped through her shoulder as she bolted upright in her hospital bed. "Regina!" She cried out to the empty room.

A nurse appeared in the doorway. "Is everything alright, Sheriff?"

Emma fought to catch her breath as she looked around; the familiar click and hiss of machines thrummed in her ears. _The hospital. _"Yes, Lauren…" She cleared her throat. "…just a bad dream."

The nurse looked sympathetically at the blonde as she took her vital signs. "Morphine can do that sometimes."

Emma glanced down to the button in her hand; she tossed it aside. _Then no more morphine for me; that was just too weird._

"Hey mom?" Henry glanced at Regina while she read the Sunday paper.

"Hmmmm?" She distractedly answered as she read the article on the break-in at Rose's.

"Do you think we could bring a picnic to Emma today? You know, some sandwiches, lemonade, cookies…"

She gave him a smile that softened her eyes. "I think that sounds like a fine plan; let's do it." She stood and he followed her into the kitchen.

Thirty minutes later, they appeared in the doorway of Emma's room. "Hey guys." Emma turned her head to see her visitors. "What's up?"

"We brought you a picnic!" Henry held up the wicker basket for Emma to see. "I even helped mom make it."

Emma gave a tired smile. "That's awesome, Henry. I love picnics."

Regina sat in a nearby chair and they watched as he carefully laid the checkered tablecloth over the little table adjacent to Emma's bed. "Do you want a turkey or ham sandwich?" He asked as he pulled the food out of the basket and assembled it neatly on the table.

"Mmmmm…." Emma considered her options. "I'd love a turkey sandwich."

He pulled out a turkey sandwich on wheat bread and placed it on the paper plate. He added some BBQ potato chips, an apple and two chocolate chip cookies on the side. "Lemonade or iced tea?"

"Wow, you guys thought of everything." She grinned as he sat the plate on her serving tray. "I'd better stick to lemonade today."

Henry busied himself with pouring the lemonade and making plates for his mom and himself. Regina took advantage of his distraction to talk to Emma. "Are you in pain?"

Emma let her head fall back onto her pillow and closed her eyes. "Yeah, but I'm really trying to not take the morphine. I had a crazy assed dream last time I took some."

Regina scooted forward on her chair and touched the blonde's forehead, which was covered with a thin sheen of sweat. "Did you take some aspirin or anything?"

Emma shook her head as Regina rose to her feet. "At least take something to help with the pain, Emma; I hate to see you hurting." She pushed the call button and spoke to the nurse. "This is Mayor Mills in room 209. Could you bring Miss Swan something for her pain?"

The red-headed nurse appeared within moments with a small paper cup. "Emma, I brought you some acetometaphine for the pain. Do you want to take it?"

Emma eyed Regina who was staring at her expectantly. "Yeah." She conceded. "That sounds good." She obediently took the two small pills and washed them down with the lemonade. "Thanks, Lauren."

A few minutes later, Emma had a full belly and the effects of the medicine were finally taking the edge off of the pain. Regina noticed that some of the color had returned to the Sheriff's face.

"You look better." She looked around the room and spied the small bottle of lotion. She stood and retrieved it, then returned to stand next to Emma. She opened the bottle and squeezed some of the thick white lotion into her hands. She rubbed them together and then gently took one of Emma's arms and began to rub the lotion onto the blonde's skin.

"You don't have to do that." Emma felt herself begin to blush.

"Perhaps, but I want to." The Mayor started working on Emma's right hand.

The blonde relaxed and closed her eyes. "Ok, good; cause I didn't really want you to stop."

Regina smiled as she started massaging the tips of Emma's fingers. She worked slowly, making sure to minister to each digit. She noticed each scar on back of the Sheriff's hand as she lightly traced each one with her finger. She turned the hand over and pushed her thumbs firmly into Emma's palm. The blonde moaned in contentment as Regina massaged her hand and arm. She moved to the other side of the bed and began on the left arm.

Again, she took her time, reveling in the feeling of touching Emma and hearing her soft moans. She ran her hand up each of Emma's fingers and back down to the palm. She turned the hand palm up and began to deeply massage the palm. She brought her hands down to Emma's wrists before noticing the thin white horizontal lines that went across the blonde's arm. _Oh, Emma; someday I want to hear the story of these scars. _ Before she realized it, she had brought her lips down to the Sheriff's wrist and gently started to kiss the scars.

Emma's eyes popped open when she felt the warm wetness on her wrist; she watched as Regina gently pressed her mouth against her arm over and over. The Mayor's eyes were closed as she stilled with her lips right over the pulse point.

"Mom, are you okay?" Henry's voice snapped Regina back to reality and she quickly realized the position she was in.

"Yes, I was just…taking her pulse." She answered in a panic.

"Ok, well do you mind if I go to the gift shop and see if they have any new comic books?"

She breathed out a relieved sigh. "Sure, take your time Henry. Here's five dollars." She reached into her wallet and handed him the bill.

"Wow, thanks!" He stated before leaving the room.

A thick silence filled the room; trying to read the Mayor's expression, Emma was the first to break it.

"You give a nice massage, Regina." She noticed the Mayor's blush on her fair skin.

"Miss Swan…" She began, but the Sheriff cut her off.

"Emma."

Regina sighed and started again. "Fine, Emma; I don't know what came over me. I was out of line."

Emma smiled at the brunette. "Well, I wouldn't mind if you were out of line more often."

Regina turned, startled at the blonde's admission. She came closer and spoke in a hushed voice. "I just...I've never done that before…giving a massage, the kissing." She shrugged her shoulders shyly.

Emma took the brunette's hand and intertwined her fingers with Regina's. "Well…" She started by kissing the Mayor's fingertips. "…there's something to be said about trying new things." She nibbled on Regina's wrist, feeling the warm pulse under her lips. She let her tongue trace up from the wrist, along the palm of Regina's hand and took the pointer finger into her mouth. Emma smiled as she heard a gasp escape the mayor's lips.

She sucked on the finger, letting her tongue circle the tip. A warm sensation ran down from her belly to her core, causing her to moan. Regina's nostrils flared as she felt the vibrations on her finger as the Sheriff's nibbles were not as gentle as before. She watched as Emma's eyes turned darker with lust. She ran her free hand across the blonde's neck, allowing it to roam southward towards the edge of the hospital gown.

Emma growled as she suckled the Mayor's wrist again, licking it and nibbling on the soft skin. Regina reveled in the heat at her core and the warmth in her heart; afraid to let go of the woman and break the spell they were under.

Many moments later Emma stilled as she felt Regina's arm stiffen. "You okay?" She asked as she watched the emotions play on the brunette's face.

"Too okay." Regina said breathlessly. "There's nothing I want more then to continue this, but Henry should be back soon."

Emma nodded in realization that they could have been caught red-handed. "Good point." She snuck one last kiss on Regina's palm. "Raincheck?"

Regina gave her an impish smile. "Count on it."


	22. Chapter 22

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Emma sat upright in her bed and watched as the world outside of her hospital window fell into darkness; the only illumination was from the light flickering from her muted television. She could tell the seven p.m. shift change was happening, not just from looking at the barely lit clock, but also from the new voices drifting from the nurses' station. The pain in her shoulder was a constant deep, dull throb that was becoming as much a part of her new sense of normalcy as her changing relationship with the Mayor.

_Regina. _ The thought came unbidden for the hundredth time since the brunette had left her in a state of unfulfilled arousal. _Great, now it's not just my shoulder that's throbbing again. _She laid back, her head softly hitting the pillow, and tried to think of mundane things to take her mind off of the Mayor and their earlier kiss; but the promise of a 'rain check' kept filling her thoughts, making her softly growl in frustration.

Across town, Regina was finishing up the dishes from supper. She had made sure that Henry finished his homework before allowing him the choice to watch one hour of television. He had declined, and instead brought all of his notes and books on herbs to her desk in the study. She watched as he studied page after page, making notes as he went. Curiosity got the better of her and she left the rest of the pans to dry as she joined him at her desk. "Find anything interesting?" She pulled a chair around to sit next to her son.

His expression puzzled as he ran his finger down the index in the back of the _Herbal Remedies _book. "I'm looking for a specific potion, but I can't find it in any of my books."

Her lips twitched in amusement. "Well, don't let Rose hear you call them potions; she'd tell you that herbs are for many things, but _potions_ require magic, something she is vehemently opposed to."

He looked confused. "She's opposed to potions or magic?"

"Both, actually. But, that's not really the problem." Regina deliberated between asking about the potion to see if she could help him, or letting him figure it out on his own. She remembered her own training and decided there was a great sense of accomplishment when you could find the answers by yourself; so, she stood and went to her bookcase. "It seems you need more resources to study." She pulled out three large books and one thinner leather-bound tome. "See if these can help you out." She encouraged him as she placed the books on the desk. "Let me know if you need me. Bedtime is still in one hour."

He ran his fingers over the embossed covers of the old, thick books. He was certain there were answers there, but his focus turned to the small handmade book. Carefully written in his mother's handwriting were the words _Best Herbal Remedies. _He opened the leather cover to the hand written table of contents; there he found a list of his mother's handpicked cures. If anyone had told him a week ago that a _Tonic for demon venom _would ever be applicable in his life he wouldn't have believed it; but now, he found every one of the preparations relevant.

He studied the list reverently; there were tonics for respiratory ailments, stomach ailments and cures for bites from poisonous creatures. There were recipes for protection from a variety of elements, including lightning, the plague, demons, bad dreams, wild beasts and thieves. A small section on 'repellants' listed demons and bookworms. _Which explains this. _Henry thought as he lifted the flattened piece of Mugwort from a crease in the binding. There was also an extensive list of antidotes specific for use against magic potions. Still, he didn't find the tonic he was hoping to make.

"Bedtime, Henry." His mom said as she entered the study. He looked up at her, hoping to beg thirty more minutes, but decided it would be futile. He closed his mother's books and put them back where they came from, then walked over and gave his mom a kiss and hug goodnight. Regina watched him as he ascended the staircase, his notes and books in hand, and then walked down the hall towards his bedroom.

She sat at her desk and poured herself a small glass of apple cider. _Not all tonics are made from herbs. _ She smiled before downing the first glass. She touched the phone on her desk, wondering if it would be too late to place a call. For fifteen minutes she debated before deciding to dial the number.

The ringing of the phone startled Emma, causing her to jump and pull her shoulder. "Shit!" She cursed as she picked up the receiver.

"Language, Miss Swan." The gentle reprimand came through the line.

"Regina! Sorry, I just jarred my shoulder."

"Need me to come kiss it better?"

"Yeah, get your ass over here."

"Tsk, your course language really does need to be punished."

"Is that a threat?"

"Or you could consider it a promise."

"I already have one promise of a 'rain check'. Perhaps you shouldn't get too far ahead of yourself."

That caused Regina to smirk and relax. "Fair point." She laughed. "How are you tonight?"

Emma grinned. "Besides my throbbing…shoulder, I'm okay, but bored. I can't wait to get out of here and back doing _something_."

"Has the doctor said anything new about when he thinks you'll be released?" Regina toyed with the pen at her desk, then put it down, annoyed with herself for fidgeting.

"No, but tomorrow will be a long day for me; I have physical therapy twice, plus I get to take a real shower. Yay for me."

"I should let you sleep then." Regina reluctantly admitted. "I just called to check on you and say goodnight."

Emma let the warmth bathe her heart, it was the first time anybody had ever called her just to wish her a good night. "Thanks, Regina; I hope you sleep well too."

"Sweet dreams, Emma."

Monday morning at the Mills house was like a well-oiled machine. A routine set over years of schooling and work, which found Henry dressed and ready for school as he ate French toast and his mother drank her coffee. "Henry, if you can't find what you're looking for in my books why don't you go to Rose's this afternoon and see if she can help you?"

Henry looked up in surprise; it was the first time his mother had ever given permission to do something besides head home and do his homework when school was dismissed. "Okay, I might do that."

She nodded. "Just make sure to call me from her shop and let me know you got there safely. I can pick you up after work."

Once breakfast was consumed and cleaned up, they left the house at 7:52am; their daily routine was like clockwork. Regina dropped Henry off at school and watched as he walked through the doorway before driving off to work.

As always, Michael was early and had already organized her schedule. "Good morning, Regina." He chimed as she walked in. She gave him a heartfelt smile as he handed her the folders and messages. "City council meeting tomorrow; the agenda and all of the notes are there." He pointed to the top manila folder. "You have a lunch meeting at noon with Robert Bixby regarding the proposal for a new city library. Oh, and before I forget…" He snatched up a note that was taped to his phone. "Doctor Whale called this morning." The smile quickly faded from her lips.

Regina shut the door and forced herself to sit down and take a deep breath before calling the hospital. "Doctor Whale, please." She requested when the receptionist answered the call. As she was put on hold, the soothing music that played in her ear only served to irritate her. She rubbed the vein on her forehead, feeling it pulse as the headache started. It took several minutes before the line was answered by the physician.

"Hello, Regina. You told me to call if there were any updates. Emma is progressing nicely and I think that, barring any complications, she should be able to be released from the hospital tomorrow afternoon." Regina felt a weight lifted off of her shoulders at the good news.

"Thank you, doctor. I'll make arrangements to pick her up when she's released." She hung up the phone just as Michael peeked in the doorway.

"How's Emma?" He inquired.

"Good." Regina grinned and nodded her head enthusiastically. "She gets out tomorrow."

He smiled back at the happy Mayor. "That's excellent, because you've really fallen down on the job of bringing in pastries."

She wadded a piece of paper up into a ball and tossed it at him; it fell short by a few yards, causing them both to chortle at her antics.

She allowed herself a few minutes of peace, sipping her coffee and staring out the large picture window of her office. The autumn leaves were beginning to really show their colors and bathed Storybrooke in reds, oranges and yellows. It took every ounce of her self-discipline to turn back around and start working.

Michael went to check in on her as the lunch hour approached; he drew near to the doorway before stopping in disbelief. He opened the door just enough to poke his head through. _As I live and breathe…._

"Regina, are you singing?" he asked incredulously. The music immediately stopped as the Mayor blushed in embarrassment.

"I…I…maybe, I was…singing, that is." She stumbled over the preposterousness of the idea. "I didn't realize I was doing that."

Michael come in the room and gave her a huge grin. "I haven't heard you sing in…well, ever. You have an amazing voice."

Regina's countenance became self-depreciating. "Thank you, but my mother would strongly disagree with you. She always said I sounded like a braying donkey."

Her assistant shook his head. "Your mother was a bitch and, trust me, your voice is gorgeous."

She watched him intently as he quickly covered his faux paus. "I mean, that's what you always said, Regina." He said, laughing it off. "Anyhow I'm off to lunch; I'll see you in an hour." He was out the door and gone before she could question his comments.

_He's right though; she always was a bitch. _She thought as she grabbed her purse and headed to meet Robert Bixby for lunch.

She entered the dimly lit steakhouse and looked around for her lunch companion. She didn't show the surprise she felt as she saw Mr. Gold sitting with the businessman. She intentionally slowed her pace and sauntered to the booth. "Mr. Bixby, Mr. Gold. I didn't realize this would be a cozy threesome today."

Mr. Bixby loosened his tie as he swallowed nervously. "Ah, well, Mr. Gold here was asking me about my latest project and when I mentioned we were having lunch together…"

Mr. Gold cut him off. "I rather invited myself. I haven't seen you in a few days; besides, I am keenly interested in the town's library."

Regina gave him a mirthless smile. "Well, Mr. Gold, I do hope our lunch talk doesn't bore you then. It's mostly the nuts and bolts of the plans, nothing too exciting or interesting."

He waved her off. "Oh, not to worry, I have plenty to keep my mind occupied should your discussion turn a bit tedious for my tastes."

Regina endured the meeting by ignoring the pawnbroker and pretending to listen to the droning about library plans. Instead she thought of Henry, and of Emma. _I wonder how her physical therapy is going…..What will she do when she is released from the hospital?….Should I make chicken or pork chops for supper?…If I do laundry tonight, will I have time to pick up Emma tomorrow?...I wonder if she'd like to come for supper then?_

"Madame Mayor?" The man's voice snapped her out of her reverie.

"Yes, Robert?" She ignored the smirk on Mr. Gold's face.

"I had asked if you have any questions about the proposal." He waited for her response.

She coolly answered him. "Not at this time, but leave the folder with me and I'll study it better tonight and call you tomorrow if I do. Gentlemen, if you'll excuse me." She took the folder from Mr. Bixby's extended hand. "I have a town to run."

The day had turned warm and sunny, and Regina reveled in it as she drove back to her office. Parking in the spot designated 'Storybrooke Mayor Parking Only' she noticed that Michael hadn't yet returned from lunch. _Should be enough time to call Emma before he gets back. _She decided as she entered her office.

The physical therapist and Emma were working on range of motion and weight-bearing exercises for Emma's shoulder when the phone rang. The Sheriff looked to the therapist. "Go ahead, Emma, we're done for the morning." He packed up his gear to leave. "Enjoy lunch." He bade her as he exited the room.

"Hello?...oh hey, Regina." She sighed as she sat in the chair next to her bed.

"Emma…how was your morning?" She played with the pen on her desk.

"Good…tiring. I just finished with P.T. and lunch just arrived." Emma grimaced as she straightened her posture.

Regina heard the pain in the Sheriff's voice. "You okay?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah, I just keep pulling on my shoulder and it hurts like a bugger." She tried to sound brave for Regina.

The Mayor heard her assistant come into the foyer. "I hate to leave, but I have to get back to work. Hope you have a good lunch."

Regina hung up from the call, but let the receiver sit on her shoulder, not quite ready to let go of the connection to Emma.


	23. Chapter 23

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Henry walked the few blocks to the apothecary shop, his backpack full of his notes and books on herbs.

"Young Henry!" Rose greeted him with a cheerful smile as he entered the business. "What brings you to my shop?"

"Hey, Rose, I need your help, please." He sat down at the small table and pulled out his notebook. "But, I have to call my mom first and let her know I'm here." He stood and walked over to the healer.

"Of course, the phone is behind the counter; and tell your mom hello for me."

He quickly dialed the number from memory and waited for his mother to answer. "Hey, mom. I made it to Rose's shop safely….Ok, I'll see you then…love you, too." Rose noticed his blush when he returned his mom's sentiment.

She brought over a plate of warm cookies and a small glass of milk for Henry. Sitting across from him at the table she wiped her hands on her apron and turned her attention to his books. "Now, what is it I can help you with?"

He eyed her seriously before answering. "I need to make an herbal love potion, um, I mean a love tonic, concoction, brew…" He ran out of synonyms.

"Ah, I see; your mom must have told you of my aversion to the word 'potion'." She snickered. "Well, let's see…is there a young woman in your life you're trying to woo?"

Henry wrinkled his nose at the though. "Gross…no!"

"Hmmm, well then what are you up to Young Henry?" She queried him, though she had a fair idea what he was going to say.

He took a deep breath and quickly responded. "It's for my mom…."

Rose waited for the rest of the story.

"…and Emma." He confessed.

"Aren't the White Knight and the Queen supposed to be enemies?" She sipped her tea and gave him time to answer.

"Well, in the book, you know which one?" She nodded at his question, so he continued. "The White Knight is supposed to break the curse and destroy the Evil Queen." He turned away, embarrassed at his emotions. "It's just, I don't want Emma to destroy my mom; I want her to save her. The only way that can happen is if they fall in love."

"True love _is_ powerful." Rose considered his words. "But it's not something that can be brought about by a spell or a concoction; there is no real _Love potion_, as you put it." She stood and went to her bookshelf. "However, there are herbs that increase attraction between two people; give them a gentle shove in the right direction, if you will." She brought two books over for Henry. "Look in these, not under _Love_, but for herbal remedies regarding attraction, romance, and those sorts of things. Then, once you find what you think will work, come out in the garden and talk to me." She left the boy studying at the table.

An hour later, Henry came outside and found Rose hoeing in the garden. "I have some ideas." He admitted. "But I'm not sure they'll work."

"Well, bring some of those bulbs to me and tell me what you found." She pointed at the small clay pots. Henry handed them to her and watched as she knelt down and carefully planted and then labeled each bulb. "My garden was ruined, so I have to completely replant it. Fill this watering jug, if you would please. Bulbs get planted in the fall; the seedlings will overwinter in the greenhouse."

Rose and Henry worked together in the garden, replanting the new bulbs and small roots that Rose had purchased. They carefully repotted all of the tiny seedlings and placed them inside the hot house beyond the far edge of the garden. They talked about herbs and what Henry thought would work best to get his moms to fall in love with each other.

Rose stood and wiped the dirt from her hands onto her apron. "Let's go see what I still have in stock." Henry followed her to the backroom of her shop and handed her his list. She read from it as she searched her supplies. "Sandlewood-good call. I've got plenty of that; it makes a nice perfume…Hmm, Lavender of course, hide that inside their pillowcases." She winked at him. "It helps ensure passion." She laughed as he blushed.

"What else did you think of?" She consulted his list. "Yes, yes, Ginseng; I have that somewhere around here." She pulled out a few boxes and checked inside until she found the herb. "And you got two of the major ones here, I see; Ylang ylang and patchouli. I know I have a bit of each of those left, too."

Once she had collected all of the herbs on his list they went back to the table and started placing each herb in a small paper bag. "Seems you found the food list, too, Henry; chocolate, strawberries, cinnamon. Henry, did you know that apples are an aphrodisiac, too?" He shook his head.

"In Greek mythology, apples are associated with the goddess Venus and, therefore, love. Maybe your mom can make an apple pie or apple tart for Emma."

Henry frowned. "I don't think Emma trusts anything that has to do with apples and my mom."

Rose sighed. "No, probably not; your mom's apples have quite a reputation. Probably best to leave them off of the list." The squeaking of the opening door caught their attention. "Regina, my dear, Young Henry and I were just talking about you."

Regina gave them a wry smile. "Good things, I hope."

Rose padded over to the counter and found a paper grocery bag for Henry's herbs. She handed it to him slyly while talking to his mom. "Regina, come into my kitchen and help me pack you and Henry some cookies to take home."

The Mayor brightened at the mention of cookies and she pestered Rose as they walked down the hallway. "Are they the ones I love?" Her eyes widened when she saw them on the kitchen table. "Ohhhh, they are!" Rose chuckled as she put two dozen into an airtight container and passed them to Regina.

"I have a favor to ask of you, Regina." She paused and remembered Henry's idea from earlier in the afternoon. "As you know, I've been visiting Emma twice a day to put the ointment on her shoulder." Regina nodded and a small grin appeared when she thought of the blonde. "Well, she told me she's getting out of the hospital tomorrow, and, I was wondering if you would be able to take over the task of checking on her and making sure this…" She handed the tin of ointment to Regina. "…is liberally applied twice a day and then bandaged well? Emma can't do it herself, especially the bandaging part, but it's essential that she gets treated until the wound is completely healed."

Regina looked momentarily confused, but quickly agreed to taking over the duty of caring for Emma. "Of course, Rose, I'd be happy to help you out; I'm sure you have a lot to do to get your garden and supplies back in good order."

Rose led the brunette to the back door and showed her the garden. "Your Henry and I have worked hard today; the garden is nearly all planted and I think, with a bit of luck and a milder winter, I should be in good shape come spring."

They went back into the shop and found that Henry had put everything back into his backpack except for the herbs. "Rose, how much money do I owe you?" He pulled his wallet out of his jeans pocket.

"You worked very hard today to help me out; let's call it a fair deal in trade for the herbs?" Rose offered.

"Henry nodded and put his wallet back into his pocket. Regina turned and thanked the healer. "Sounds like you were able to help Henry find what he was looking for."

Henry blushed, but Rose just smiled. "Indeed. Now you two go and enjoy the cookies." Henry reached for the treats but his mother quickly pulled them out of range.

"Not until after your supper, young man." The sparkle in her eye assured him she was playing.

An hour later, the sun disappeared behind the trees in the forest as Regina and Henry were finishing up their dinner. "Mom?" Henry looked up from his plate of three homemade cookies.

"Yes?" The Mayor looked affectionately at her son. _He looks just like Emma sometimes. _She mused.

"What happens when Emma gets out of the hospital tomorrow?" He cocked his head. Regina knew that his tilted head was a 'tell' that Henry had given this some serious consideration.

The question was one she herself had contemplated too many times to count. "What do you mean, Henry?" She wanted to see in what direction her son was heading with his train of thought.

"Well…." He watched her closely to see how she would respond, her quickly hidden expressions told him as much as her words did. "….you, I mean we, spend a lot of time with her right now, because she's in the hospital and all. I just don't want that to change once she's better."

He had never noticed his mother blush before and although her expression quickly turned neutral, the color in her cheeks remained. "Well…" She started. "…I know we'll see her twice a day at least, since Rose asked me to make sure Emma's wound is dressed every morning and night. Plus, I'm sure she might come over sometimes for dinner or maybe even movie night…."  
Her heart grew heavy as she realized how much she really wanted Emma to be involved in their lives. _Much more._

Henry helped clean up supper and then took a quick shower before heading to bed. "Night, mom. I love you." He came over and gave her a hug. She tousled his wet hair and gave a sad smile.

"Good night, Henry. I love you, too." She checked her watch once he had left the room. _8:30, Emma should still be awake. _She picked up the receiver and dialed the Sheriff's room.

"Hello?" The sleepy blonde answered her phone.

"Hey, it's me." Regina softly replied.

"Hey you. How was your day at the office?" She leaned back and listened to the low, soft timbre of Regina's voice.

"Busy actually, but I won't bore you with the details."

"I'd really like to hear the details if you want to share. I'm curious what your typical day is like."

Regina poured herself a glass of cider as a small smile came to her lips; it was the first time anyone had ever said they cared about the details of her life. "Ok, you asked for it, so don't blame me when you beg me to stop. Let's see, first I put up with Michael's teasing this morning…he's missing you, too, by the way; he has assured me that you are much more reliable than I am about bringing coffee and bear claws to the office." The complement made Emma's eyes brighten.

"Then I had lunch with Robert Bixby and Mr. Gold."

"I don't like him, Regina." Emma growled.

"Neither do I, Emma; we have a lot of history between us, none of it good. But I was able to escape lunch with my dignity intact and made it back to the office in one piece. That's when I called you. How did your P.T. go tonight?"

She could hear Emma yawn before the blonde tried to answer. "It went alright. I'm just frustrated that I can't do more with my arm. I mean, I don't even know how I'll drive my car, carry groceries, or even manage to get a good night sleep. I want to get out of here, but I'm scared that I'm not ready. I'm sorry, I shouldn't be unloading on you. Besides, we were talking about your day, not mine."

"Nonsense, I want to hear about your day, too." Regina countered. "Plus I think that Henry is up to something. He was doing quite a bit of research last night, but didn't find what he was looking for. Then he spent the afternoon over at Rose's. The two of them are quite the evasive team." She could hear Emma's soft laughter as she told of how Henry left with a big bag of herbs that he refused to show to her. "He hid them upstairs in his bedroom. I don't know what it is, but he has something up his sleeve."

Emma laughed harder, holding her shoulder so she wouldn't jar it. "Regina, with my genetics and your raising him, is it any wonder he is so good at being cagey? And don't pretend to be insulted, you know I'm right."

Regina shook her head and laughed. "Yeah, you're right." She heard the Sheriff yawn again. "Emma, I should let you go so you can get to sleep. And don't worry about getting out of the hospital tomorrow; you have lots of people who will help you out, especially Henry and me."

Emma felt her eyelids grow heavy. "I'm going to hold you to that, Regina. I don't think I can do this alone."

Regina tried her best to comfort the woman. "Emma, you can always rely on me. Call me when you get discharged tomorrow, I'll come pick you up and take you home."

"Regina?" Emma's words were beginning to slur.

"Yes, Emma?" Her voice was sultry and low.

"Thank you. I just want you to know that I…"

Regina waited, but the sleeping blonde never finished the sentence.


	24. Chapter 24

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

Chapter Twenty-Four

"Well, Sheriff Swan, I think I can clear you to be discharged this afternoon." Doctor Whale sat by Emma's hospital bed and looked over the nursing notes from the night before. "Looks like you got a good night's sleep; your blood tests have improved and I do think the infection is under control." He gave her a serious look. "But, it's not entirely gone; you have to continue to take your antibiotics for five more days to completely clear it out of your system. You need to take it easy, Sheriff; no running around slaying demons for a few weeks." He gently smiled at the blonde. "You're going to have to figure out how to work around your shoulder injury. I'm putting you on a limit of five pounds for lifting, carrying and so forth. Once you complete physical therapy, we can reevaluate your restrictions."

"Here are your discharge instructions, make sure you read and adhere to them." He shook her hand. "It's been a pleasure taking care of you."

Emma reviewed the sheet as soon as the doctor left her room. _Yeah, yeah, no lifting over five pounds, get plenty of rest, drink lots of water, take my medications, and continue physical therapy. _

She nibbled on a piece of bacon as she considered her next few weeks. _Can't drive my car, it's a stick shift and I need my good arm to stay on the wheel. Laundry will be tough, but I can manage going to the Laundromat if I just carry a few things inside at a time. I can grocery shop if Mary Margaret is home to carry in the bags and put things away. Damn, I'm barely allowed to pick up a bag of sugar with my arm. This is going to be a pain in the ass._

She had always been independent, relying on herself and herself alone. Emma Swan never needed anybody, never wanted to need anybody. Occasionally, she would pick up someone for a night of good old fashioned sex, but by the morning she made sure she was alone again. She didn't do second dates, she didn't return phone calls from past lovers, she didn't stay in one place long enough to let someone get emotionally close to her. Many had touched her body, but nobody had touched her soul. Then Henry came along and found her; brought her to Storybrooke and snuck his way into her heart.

Once the first crack in her defenses was exposed, she found it was harder to close it back up. Mary Margaret had managed to slip in and become a good friend, Graham had slipped in and become a confidant; at first, Emma couldn't let Regina through, there was too much animosity, too much fear, and definitely a very strong spark. But the sparks usually turned into a fighting match of words and sometimes fists.

But this time, the sparks had flickered into something entirely new; she saw through Regina's bravado and found the brunette really did have a wounded soul. She discovered that the Mayor's fury and prickliness hid a heart, empty and wanting, needing to be loved. Regina's need for that made her fight tooth and nail for Henry's love, for Graham's loyal affections and for control of everything she touched. Regina was damaged goods; she never told Emma the story of her life, but Emma could recognize a kindred spirit and that's what she found in Regina.

She picked up the phone and dialed the Mayor's office. Michael's chipper voice picked up on the second ring. "Good morning, Storybrooke Mayor's office, how may I direct your call." Emma playfully rolled her eyes; there were only two people who worked there, Michael and Regina. He made it sound like he was working the switchboard for the Mayor's headquarters in Boston or New York.

Her voice was tinged with amusement when she answered. "Our illustrious Mayor, Regina Mills, please."

Michael recognized Emma's voice. "One moment please while I dial that extension." Emma waited and listened while Michael called Regina on the intercom. "Regina, Emma's on the phone." He switched his attention back to the Sheriff. "Thank you for holding; I'll connect your call to Madame Mayor's line."

"Hey Regina." Emma laughed when the Mayor answered her line.

"Good morning, Emma. What did you find out from the Doctor?" Regina doodled little hearts on a notepad as she talked to the blonde.

"You can bust me out of here at three o'clock." Emma chimed. "I'll be the one in the wheelchair with a bandaged arm."

Regina chuckled. "I'm sure I can figure out which one you are, even without a wounded shoulder." Her voice deepened. "I'll be there Emma, you can count on me."

"I know I can." Emma felt another crack in her heart's defenses as she whispered. "Thank you."

Regina pulled up to the schoolyard at two forty-five and impatiently waited for the school to be dismissed. The bell finally rang and she watched as children began to pour out of the front doors. Henry was towards the front of the line and, as soon as he saw her, he broke out into a quick jog. "Hey mom, we gonna get Emma out of the hospital." He couldn't help but notice how his mom's eyes lit up.

"Yes." Her mouth twitched into a small smile. "Now buckle up, I'm sure she wants us to be safe."

Henry ran ahead of the Mayor when he saw Emma sitting at the hospital doorway in a wheelchair. He stopped abruptly in front of the blonde, his eyes showing his grave concern as he touched the metal of the chair. "I didn't know you can't walk."

Emma pulled him into a one armed hug, careful to protect her left shoulder. "Oh, sweetie, I can walk just fine." She jerked her head towards the nurse. "It's hospital policy that I have to ride in the chair." She glanced down at herself in jeans and red tank top. "At least I don't have to wear that damned hospital gown anymore."

Her nurse, Lauren, just laughed. "Yeah, cause I'm the big meanie." She came around to Emma's side. "I hope everything works out for you, Emma."

The blonde felt tears prick at her eyes when she looked at her favorite nurse. "Lauren, thank you so much for everything you've done for me. I don't know how to repay you."

The redhead laughed. "I do; next time you catch me speeding, don't give me a ticket."

The Sheriff shook her head as she laughed. Regina, who had listened quietly to the women's exchange, assured the nurse. "Lauren, if she does give you one, I'm sure the Mayor would intervene on your behalf…just once."

Lauren smiled kindly at the Mayor. "She's all yours Madame Mayor; I just need Emma's signature to officially release her." Emma gladly took the pen and signed the form on the nurse's clipboard. Henry picked up the plastic bag marked _Personal Items, _and holding Emma's hand, walked with her and Regina to the car.

"Do you mind a quick drive around town?" Regina turned to Emma and helped her buckle her seatbelt. Emma sighed, feeling helpless, and let the Mayor click her belt.

"That would be great." Emma admitted, anxious to see anything besides the walls of her hospital room. "I like your perfume." She murmured.

Regina smiled at her son in the backseat. "It's a Sandalwood oil blend that Henry made for me; I rather like it myself." Henry smiled back at the women. _Operation 'My Two Moms' has begun. _He congratulated himself on his first small victory.

Emma felt a wave of nostalgia wash over her as they drove the quiet town's streets. Regina took great care when she had to turn a corner or come to a stop. She watched Emma out of the corner of her eye as they slowly drove to downtown. "Are you doing okay?" She let her hand rest on Emma's hand. "You look pale."

Emma closed her eyes and admitted. "I'm just really tired I guess. I hate that a ride around town is enough to do me in." She smiled sleepily when she noticed that the Mayor's hand continued to linger.

"Well…" Regina considered the options before making a decision. "…then you will come home with us for now. We have a spare room you can sleep in; plus it makes it easier for me to find you when it's time to put Rose's ointment on your shoulder."

Emma half-heartedly protested. "I should go to Mary Margaret's, I have a bed there I can crash in." She felt her eyelids close though she tried to fight sleep.

"Nonsense." Regina countered. "Knowing you, you would end up sleeping on her couch for days. My spare room is on the first floor and the queen size bed would let you sleep comfortably. I won't take no for an answer."

Emma sighed, knowing she didn't have, nor wanted to have, an argument for Regina's valid points. "If you're sure I won't be in the way….."

Regina squeezed the blonde's hand and smiled. "You won't be in the way at all; after all you were injured saving Henry. Think of this as a small token of my gratitude."

"Come on, Emma…" Henry chimed in from the back seat. "…we could have movie night every night!" Regina looked at him in the rearview mirror. "Well, once my homework is done and supper is cleaned up and…."

"How could I say no to a queen sized bed and movie nights?" Emma conceded as Regina turned the Mercedes towards home.

She barely remembered the rest of the drive or being escorted by a very enthusiastic Henry to her room; she did, however, remember the scent of sandalwood lingering near her as she felt sleep claim her weary body.

Once Emma's breathing had evened out and Regina was certain the blonde was sleeping, she carefully removed the Sheriff's boots and covered her with a thin quilt. Lightly kissing her forehead, she whispered. "I'm just in the kitchen if you need anything." She didn't miss the small contented sigh that slipped out of the sleeping woman's lips before closing the cut-glass French doors behind her.

Supper was over and Henry tucked in bed before Regina retired to her study to finish up some paperwork. Throughout the afternoon both she and Henry had peeked many times through the glass doors to check on Emma. The sleeping blonde never stirred, though she had turned over onto her good shoulder as she slept.

The Mayor poured herself a glass of apple cider and thoughtfully sipped on it as she contemplated the woman in the guest room. _Emma, Emma, Emma. _The name rolled in her thoughts as she remembered their often fraught, but never boring, history. _First I wanted nothing more than for you to leave; now I wish only for you to stay. _She considered the Sheriff's own checkered past. _You've made mistakes, been in prison yourself; but does that mean you could understand my sins? You once said I had no soul, and believed it; but now, you and I both know that's different…don't we? _She let the tears fall freely down her cheeks. _Until you know the truth about me we can't move forward, but it's impossible to move back. _She felt her whole body shaking. _I'm so scared…._

Her thoughts filled with memories from her life; rolling together to make a movie of tragedy, pain, darkness and hate. Photographs flickered through her mind; Daniel, Rose, her mother, Daddy, King Leopold and his young daughter, Snow. Maleficent, Rumplestilskin in his grisly appearance, Snow and Charming's wedding, the curse as it rolled through the realm…into Storybrooke. For twenty-eight years she had been as trapped as the rest of the victims of the curse. Her hatred had tempered into simple infuriation, her wrath into irritation, her darkness had turned, with the responsibility and love for her son, Henry, into a paler shade of gray.

Here, in Storybrooke, where there was no magic, she found herself slowly released from the powerful bond it once held over her. Her thoughts had turned from revenge into self-preservation; a desire to protect the curse at all cost. _Not for the sake of my life. _She realized that night. _But for the sake of my soul._

She cried every tear of remorse and regret that she had ever felt; purifying her soul with each drop of sorrow. _Forgive me…_she silently pleaded to everyone she had ever offended or harmed with her magic. '_Then forgive yourself_' she heard Daniel's gentle voice reply.

An hour later, once her guilt temporarily assuaged, she padded to the doorway and checked in on the Sheriff, who was lying quietly on the bed with her eyes open. Regina softly knocked, causing Emma to turn and give an easy smile to the brunette. "Hey you." Emma greeted her as she entered the room.

"Hey yourself." Regina sat on the bed next to Emma. "How'd you sleep?" She gently moved a strand of tousled hair that had fallen over Emma's face.

Emma took a deep breath and stretched, wincing when the pain shot through her shoulder. "Hmmm, I slept like a rock. How are you doing?" She reached out and rested her hand on the brunette's thigh; Regina immediately covered the hand with her own.

"I'm alright. I just wanted to check on you and see if you were awake and hungry; I saved some dinner for you if you think you are up to eating." She tenderly squeezed the Sheriff's fingers.

Emma moved to sit up. "What time is it?" She glanced at the bedside clock. _11:45pm "_Oh, it's late; shouldn't you be asleep?"

Regina helped her to stand next to the bed. "I'm usually up till well past midnight." Regina assured her. "So you aren't keeping me from sleeping. Come on, I'll reheat the pasta for you." Regina wrapped one arm around the blonde's waist as they padded to the kitchen. "What would you like to drink?" The brunette asked once Emma was sitting at the breakfast nook.

Emma watched the moon as she answered. "Just water or milk, please." She smiled gratefully as the warmed leftovers were sat in front of her. Regina sat across the table and placed a glass of milk in front of the blonde. "Mmmm, this is delicious, Regina. It's been a long time since I've had a home cooked meal."

Regina shrugged her shoulders. "I really didn't learn to cook until I adopted Henry, then I felt…I don't know…the need to be domestic." She gave a self-depreciating laugh. "I couldn't feed him sandwiches and soup his whole life, ya know?"

Emma smiled and took Regina's hand. "That's pretty much what I've lived on, but I have to admit this is so much better. You'd better be careful, if you keep cooking like this I'm never going to want to leave."

_Don't make promises you can't keep, Emma. _She thought as she squeezed the blonde's hand.


	25. Chapter 25

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

Chapter Twenty-Five

The warm morning sun filtered through Emma's window blinds, waking the blonde from a night of deep slumber. She gently stretched, careful of her wounded shoulder's limitations. The smell of coffee was too much of a temptation to resist, so she rose and began her typical morning routine. She managed to pee, wash her hands, brush her teeth and get almost completely dressed just using her good arm; but brushing her hair, zipping her tight jeans, and pulling on her boots proved to be too much for the blonde. She had lain on the bed, trying in vain to pull the zipper closed; frustrated she let out a growl and knocked her boots to the hardwood floor.

"Emma?" Regina had quickly raced to the Sheriff's bedroom when she heard the thud echo through the house. She looked at the blonde as she lay on the bed with her pants undone. "Sheriff, _what _do you think you're doing?"

Emma tried again at the zipper. "What…" She panted. "…does it look like I'm doing? I need to get dressed and get going."

Regina's brow furrowed in confusion; though she had to admit that she rather enjoyed her current view of the blonde. "Your physical therapy isn't until tomorrow morning and you have to get more rest today; there's no sense in getting dressed now."

Emma gave up on her zipper and sat up, swinging her legs down over the side of the bed. "Actually, I plan to go to work today; would you mind helping me with my hair and boots?"

Regina smirked. "So, you _really _think it'd be best to run around with your pants undone?" Her tone turned serious. "Emma, Doctor Whale hasn't cleared you to return to your duties; the best thing you can do is rest and get better."

"I'll go stir crazy, Regina; you've got to let me go to the station today." Emma pleaded to the brunette.

Regina thought of a compromise she hoped Emma would agree to. "School's out early today at one o'clock for some sort of teacher enrichment training they have to do. How about I take Henry to school, then I'll drop by the Sheriff's Office and pick up some open case files? I can bring them back to you before heading off to work. I'll pick Henry up after school and we'll both come home for the rest of the day. Sound fair?" She waited for the blonde to consider the idea.

"Fine." Emma capitulated. "But can you please help me brush my hair? I don't want to feel like a total scrounge."

Regina found the abandoned hairbrush on the bathroom sink and returned to the bedroom. "Ok, sit on the chair by the desk and I'll see what I can do." Emma sat as she was directed and faced the mirror on the desk. Within moments she felt the brush gently sweeping through her unruly locks; an occasional knot was tended to quickly by Regina's fingers. Once the brunette was satisfied with the job she tugged at Emma's scalp and expertly braided her blonde locks into a long woven ponytail. "Wow, I haven't had anyone french-braid my hair since I was a seven." She admired the woven tresses, softly touching the top of her head. "That looks amazing, thank you."

Regina gently put her chin on the blonde's head and looked at her in the mirror. "You're welcome, my dear. I once considered growing Henry's hair long, just so I could braid it in all the ways I could think of." She laughed. "Speaking of which…" She pulled away from the sitting woman. "…I need to make sure Henry's ready for school. I'll be back soon with your paperwork; there's coffee and croissants in the kitchen if you want some."

Emma studied the brunette as Regina left her room and stood at the bottom of the marble staircase. "Henry, it's time for breakfast."

The Sheriff's stomach rumbled. "Ok, I get it, time for breakfast." She abandoned her tight jeans and opted for a pair of relaxed fit ones that she zipped up with one hand. Her sock covered feet padded to the kitchen and joined her son and Regina at the breakfast nook. The brunette handed her a cup of coffee and an empty plate before bringing over the basket of warmed croissants. "They're best when warm, so help yourself." She offered them to Emma, who took two and passed the basket on to Henry.

Emma nibbled on the warm, buttery roll and moaned. "Wow, where did you get these? They are amazing."

Henry chimed in as he nodded in agreement. "My mom makes the best croissants; better than any of the town bakeries."

"Thank you both." Regina downplayed their praise. "It really is no big deal; Henry, finish up so we can leave." She stood and drained her coffee into the sink before rinsing the cup out and setting it on the counter. "Emma, do you need anything else while I'm out?"

Emma waved the roll. "Between all of this..." She gestured around. "…what more could I need?"

The Sheriff's morning went quickly between working on the cases that Regina had brought her, and cat-napping when she was tired. She realized that the Mayor was right; she wasn't ready to return to her official duties. _So I'll do what I can from home. _ She realized what she had just called the Mayor's house. _Well, home…for now. _She glanced at the clock. _12:30, I have time for a quick nap before they get back home._

She smelled the aroma from the barbeque and went to explore outside. She was taken aback at the scene before her; brightly colored table settings in shades of turquoise, fuchsia and orange graced the cloth covered picnic table. Henry was wearing a bathing suit and running through the sprinkler; his laughter filled the air as he ran back into the stream of water. She found the brunette in the backyard, drinking a glass of wine as she barbequed the steaks. "Hope you're hungry, Emma; we bought enough food to feed an army. Henry convinced me that it was such a nice day, so we are having our "last day of summer party."

"Um, isn't a bit late for that?" Emma slowly indicated the autumn leaves that were already dropping off of the trees in the backyard. She watched Henry again. "God, that's gotta be cold."

"It's a tradition we started over five years ago; we pick a nice fall day and call it the last day of summer." Regina turned the steaks, causing the barbeque to hiss and smoke. "And I ran the hose from the garage tap, so it's pretty warm water. I think that's why he's staying in; the air is colder than the sprinkler. Would you like some lemonade?"

Emma accepted the sweet drink from Regina and sipped out of the fuchsia plastic tumbler. She relaxed as she watched Henry showing off for her; he did cartwheels, somersaults, and just acted silly when he saw he could get her to laugh at his antics. Out of instinct she checked for signs of physical abuse on his seldom seen torso and legs, but found none. _You're a lucky boy. _She though of her own body that still bore scars from a childhood spent in the foster care system. _Add a new scar to that, Emma. _She gently rubbed her bum shoulder.

Regina sat down next to the blonde, her arm pressed gently against Emma's. "Henry." She called. "It's time to dry off and eat." The boy ran to the brunette and took the towel from her hand.

"Did you see me do a cartwheel?" He beamed at the two women.

Emma just laughed. "Yeah, it was better than I could do."

Regina smiled at her son. "Even I was impressed with your gymnastic prowess, Henry." He grinned again and, wrapped in a fluffy towel, ran to the warm house. Soon, the steady stream of water shooting from the sprinkler turned to a dribble and then finally stopped. Regina slid her arm around Emma's back, letting it rest on the table behind them. "How are you feeling this afternoon?" She noticed the dark circles under the pale woman's eyes.

"Tired." Emma admitted as she leaned comfortably into the Mayor's embrace. "I don't think I'll be ready to go to work this week."

Regina tightened her hold on the woman. "Nobody expects you to; I have a meeting tomorrow so Rose will come by and take you to physical therapy. Listen to your body, Emma, you'll know when you're ready." She jumped up, remembering the steaks on the grill.

Henry had returned, now dried off and dressed for the cool evening. The three of them sat at the picnic table and ate their steaks, potato salad and chips in companionable silence. Regina had watched Emma struggle to cut her steak, so she cut her own up and swapped plates with the blonde. Emma gave her a grateful smile and thanked her.

The next morning brought cooler temperatures and a steady drumming of rain on the rooftop. Once again, the smell of coffee roused the sleeping blonde into consciousness. She opted for another loose pair of jeans, coupled with a tank top and a sweatshirt for warmth. Regina and Henry had already left for the day, but the Mayor had written a note and placed it next to the coffee maker.

_Emma, _

_Sorry we had to leave earlier than usual today. There are muffins for you in the small wicker basket and I brewed a new pot of coffee right before I left. Good luck at p.t. today. I'll see you tonight, but feel free to call me if you need anything. The key is under the back porch mat._

_Regina._

Emma sighed, wishing she had the chance to see the Mayor before she left for the office. She poured herself a cup of coffee and nibbled on a muffin while she read the daily town paper. The Sheriff flipped to the crime log and shook her head fondly. _Nothing to report; no surprise there, it's Storybrooke after all. _She checked the clock and decided she had time to eat one more muffin and read the rest of the thin paper before Rose would arrive to pick her up for physical therapy. She had neared the last page when she saw the small black and white picture captioned 'Regina Mills, Storybrooke Town Mayor'. She studied the portrait, running her finger over the picture of the brunette. In the photo the Mayor's face, and especially her eyes, seemed hardened; her mouth curved into a mirthless smile. _Wow, she doesn't even look like the same person anymore._

Emma rinsed her cup and put it in the sink as she saw Rose's car pull into the driveway. She grabbed the navy sweatshirt and slung it over her good shoulder and then closed the door on her way out. "Morning Rose, thanks for driving me to the hospital today."

The healer smiled at the blonde. "Anytime, hon. I have a few errands to run today, so I'll drop you off and you just call me when you are ready to be picked back up."

Emma walked into the hospital and down the hallway to the Physical Therapy department. "Hey Emma, I'm ready for you to come back." Peggy the therapist waved to Emma from inside the therapy room.

Emma sat on the massage table as Peggy rolled up on a stool with her clipboard. "Alright…" The perky woman checked the Doctor's orders. "How's your shoulder doing?"

Emma shrugged. "It hurts a lot, especially at night. Regina has been putting the ointment on, which helps, but it's still really sore."

Peggy looked at the wound and winced; she could tell from experience that the large gashes were healing well, but they still looked angry and painful. "Yowch, that must have been one huge bear."

Emma grimaced. "Yeah, it was a real beast." _That's one way to tell the truth._

Peggy clicked her pen and started making notes on her paper. "Well let's see what you _can_ and _can't_ do; then I'll come up with a treatment plan for you. We'll do a bit of it today, as well as some ultrasound to help the scar tissue to break up, and an ice massage. I'll send you home with a list of exercises that you need to do twice a day on your non-appointment days. Okay, let's start with range of motion measurements."

The therapist stood and had Emma move her shoulder in different directions; each time, she took a metal instrument that had two long, straight metal arms. "This is called a Goniometer; I'll use it to measure the degree of your range of motion." She showed Emma the tool. "I only want you to move your arm as far as you can without pain; if it hurts, stop." Emma felt a deep ache in her shoulder once they finished the measurements. "Okay, let's move onto weight bearing ability." Once again, Emma was put through a series of tests, each one carefully measured and the results marked on her chart. She was surprised to find that after just twenty minutes her shoulder was pounding and she was exhausted.

'Now for the nice part of the therapy." Peggy rolled over a portable ultrasound machine and a tube of lubricant. "I want you to just sit comfortably; this will take about fifteen minutes each visit." She rubbed the lube on Emma's shoulder, carefully avoiding the healing wound. "This gel will let the ultrasound vibrations work deeply into your muscles." She explained as she turned on the machine, set the frequencies and began to make small, continuous circles with the head of the wand.

"Oh, it's warm." Emma relaxed and felt the heat gently penetrate her muscles. "I think we should just do this for the whole time."

Peggy laughed. "Yeah, yeah everybody loves this part. Unfortunately it's going to take work to get your strength and range of motion back to where it was before your injury. But I promise if you work hard, then this will be your reward."

Emma groaned when Peggy turned off the ultrasound machine and rolled it back against the wall. The therapist returned with a large flexible ice pack and laid it on Emma's shoulder, covering the entire joint. "This will help get the inflammation out of the tissue. Did the doctor prescribe you something for pain and swelling?"

"Dang that's freezing!" Emma jerked when the coldness hit her arm. "Yeah he did, but it gave me funky dreams, so I stopped taking it. Now I just take some ibuprofen."

"Well, that'll help with both the pain and the swelling. You should try to ice your shoulder for twenty minutes, twice a day, if you aren't already doing that."

"Alright." Emma agreed. "I can start that tonight." The ice finally numbed Emma's shoulder and she sat like that for fifteen minutes while the therapist puttered in the room.

"Good deal." Peggy made notes on the clipboard. "We're done for the day. Just see Adam before you leave and tell him you need to set up three appointments a week for five weeks. At the end of that, I'll reevaluate you." She handed some papers to Emma. "Here are some basic exercises you will be doing. Just hold onto these sheets and don't start them yet. Let your shoulder rest tonight and remember to ice it sometime this evening."

Emma took the sheets. "Thanks, Peggy. I'll see you in a couple days." She made her future appointments and called Rose for a ride back home. The healer pulled up to the curb five minutes later as Emma was leaving the therapy office.

"If you don't have other plans, Emma, I'd like to make you lunch." Rose offered.

"You don't have to do that, Rose." The blonde was still uncomfortable letting people do nice things for her.

"I know I don't, but I want to; plus I need to make you more ointment to take to Regina. She mentioned she was running low."

Emma accepted and they drove to the healer's shop. She followed Rose to the back of the building and entered Rose's living quarters. "Would you like a pastrami sandwich or a grilled cheese?" Rose asked as she went to the fridge.

"You seriously have real pastrami?" Emma could feel her taste buds dancing at the thought.

"Yep, mustard and pickle okay on it?" Rose pulled out the meat and heated it on a plate in the microwave.

"Perfect." Emma watched as the healer made the sandwiches. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Yes, just eat." She brought the sandwiches, chips and sodas to the table.

Emma nearly moaned when she took the first bite of the sandwich. She chewed and swallowed before talking. "I haven't had pastrami since I left Boston; this is truly a masterpiece, Rose."

The healer just smiled. "So how did therapy go?"

"Good, I think. I'm tired, but that's usually the case for me." They made small talk as they finished their lunches.

"Sheriff, I need to mix up that ointment, care to join me in my shop?"

Emma followed her and sat at the small wooden table in the store. She had never spent much time in the shop and was amazed at all the different herbs and tonics that Rose had for sale. "Rose?"

"Hmmm?" The healer answered, focused on measuring the ingredients for the medicine.

"How long have you known Regina?"

The question surprised the healer. "Since she was a little girl."

"Are you originally from around here then?"

"That's a tricky question, Emma."

The blonde cocked her head. _It's a yes or no question actually. _But inquisitiveness got the better of her and she asked. "What do you mean?"

Rose finished making the medicine and scooped the gel into a clean metal tin. She closed the lid and brought it over to the table in front of Emma. "Tell her this should last another three weeks." She sat down across from Emma and paused, considering how to best answer the Sheriff's question. "I mean that I don't really know. I've always kept a daily journal; it's silly I know, I mean who'd want to read the ramblings of an herbal healer, right? Anyways, I found four books that I have no memory of writing, but they're in my handwriting and the sketches are my artwork. I recorded my life then, or rather there, quite extensively. Regina featured prominently in quite a few of my days; the story I told you in the hospital about her falling into stinging nettle, do you remember that?"

Emma nodded, remembering the tale quite well.

"Well, that was from one of the old journals. The memories I have of her before the past twenty-eight years are from reading the stories of my life from before… I know that probably doesn't make much sense, but it really is the best explanation I can give you. You're welcome to read them if you'd like; take them home for a couple days and see what you think. If nothing else, I know it will give you a much better understanding of how Regina came to be the person she is. She wasn't always so…." She paused, looking for the right word.

"Bitchy?" Emma provided the adjective.

Rose laughed. "I was thinking more along the lines of...dark."

"Yeah, dark works too." Her curiosity was peeked. "I'd like to read your journals if you don't mind sharing. I have plenty of free time on my hands and I think it would be really interesting to find out more about Regina, _and_ about you."

Rose walked behind the counter again and brought out the four thick volumes. "I best carry these for you, with your arm hurt and all, they're pretty heavy. Apparently I had a lot to say." She chuckled.

She drove the Sheriff home and carried the books into Emma's bedroom. "Just let me know when you're done; oh, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask me. I don't know how much more I can tell you than what you'll read, but I'll do the best I can."

As soon as the healer left the house, Emma opened the first book and began to read.

_21 Frigus 14th year of the reign of King Leon_

_Today is my 18th birthday and my mother gave me this book and encouraged me to write my thoughts down everyday. I hope to honor her by doing so diligently. Father brought home three hens for my birthday meal. We ate well tonight, though little Amber just nibbled at the food. She's only seven and the youngest of us children. She seems frailer than the rest of us, but mother assures me she will be fine. ~Rose_

_17th Aestus 1st year of the reign of King Leopold_

_Our country is in mourning today as we bury our beloved King Leon. His son Leopold ascended to the throne once his father was laid to rest in the Royal crypt. The summer heat is difficult this year for me, perhaps because of my pregnancy it seems worse than usual. _

Emma skimmed the first few years of Rose's diary, but then decided to skip ahead for entries that mentioned Regina. She found the first one and slowly read it.

_09 Autumnus 3rd year of the reign of King Leopold_

_I've heard that Henry and Cora Mills have a new daughter. They named her Regina Marie, after Cora's favorite Aunt. Unfortunately, since Cora and I have fallen out of grace with each other, news about her only comes to me through women's gossip. I plan to send the baby a gift, maybe some medicines that will help her to be strong and well. I know Cora would prefer to just cast a spell and be done with it, but all magic comes with a price and her baby shouldn't have to pay for it._

_17 Autumnus 3rd year of the reign of King Leopold_

_Gave Henry Mills some tonics and ointments for his daughter, Regina. He was grateful and promised to bring her over as soon as she was old enough to travel the short distance to my home. Of course, he would have to do it when Cora wasn't around or she would forbid him. My little Daniel is teething; he seems to like to chew on the cloth that I dip in chamomile tea. It keeps him from crying for a bit, which saves my sanity._

_30 Autumnus 3rd year of the reign of King Leopold_

_Went to town square today for the farmer's market; picked up some nice squash for mealtime. Saw the Mills baby today, she is absolutely beautiful. Dark brown eyes, wavy dark hair and chubby little fingers. Seems like a happy baby._

Emma read each passage that recorded Regina's first years; Rose didn't get to see the young girl very often, but around the time Regina turned six, the healer's journals had many more stories about the Mayor. Emma read them all, though a few stuck out in her mind.

_05 Frigus 9th year of the reign of King Leopold_

_Henry Mills brought his daughter, Regina to me for a treatment today; they both deny it, but my experience tells me that the girl has been whipped with a cat-tail whip. The cuts on her back are not very deep, but there are patterns that make me think she was flogged at least three or four times. I treated her and gave her father the ointment so he could continue to help her back to heal. May the Gods watch over this young girl, having a dark sorceress for a mother will make for a difficult journey._

_24 Frigus 10th year of the reign of King Leopold_

_Henry Mills brought Regina by again, this time her wrist has been fractured. They both claim it was because she fell over a bale of hay. I set the bone and wrapped it for her best I could. He says that Cora forbids him to seek out a doctor, that she could fix it quite easily with a spell. I'm glad, for the child's sake, that he brought her to me instead. Magic, even a bit at a time, can change a person's soul…she's too sweet and innocent to deserve that._

The entries continued in Rose's distinct writing. Entry after entry, often three or four times in a month, listed the different injuries that Regina sustained as a child. A tear rolled down her face in empathy for the young Regina; a childhood spent in the foster system gave Emma a true understanding of what the brunette had endured. She heard the door open and quickly bookmarked the page and then set the journal on her dresser.

"Hey Emma!" Henry ran into her room.

"Henry, you need to knock before you barge in there." His mother's voice echoed in the marble foyer.

"It's okay, Regina." She called as she mussed Henry's hair. "I'm glad to see you both."

The Mayor appeared at her doorway; dressed in gray slacks and a black turtleneck which Emma couldn't help but find very sexy. "You look really nice, Regina. How was your day?"

The brunette graced her with a smile that made Emma's heart flutter. "Not bad, why don't you come join me in the kitchen and I'll tell you while I make supper." She turned her attention to her son. "Henry, you can join us once you finish your homework."

He hopped down off of the bed and grasped his backpack. "Alright, I'll be there soon."

Emma trailed behind the Mayor as they walked to the kitchen. She couldn't help but wonder if Regina's body still bore the scars of her earlier life.


	26. Chapter 26

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

Chapter Twenty-six

"Hey, Henry." Emma waited until Regina had left the room before asking her son. "Do you mind if I borrow that book of yours tomorrow while you're at school?"

Henry cocked his head as he smiled mysteriously at the blonde. "Sure, Emma; I hope you think it's as…interesting…as I do."

"Thanks." Emma replied noncommittally; she knew it was crazy to even _consider_ the stories in Henry's book of fairytales to be true. But, Rose's journal entries gave such specific details, such as names, dates and events, that Emma found herself wanting to know if it was even possible for them to be factual. _I'll just see if Henry's book and Rose's journals have anything in common. _

When she woke the next morning Emma could tell that the house was empty, which meant Regina and Henry had already left for the day. _Nothing scheduled today. _She remembered as she dressed for the day in a pair of khaki cargo shorts and a black undershirt. Pulling her hair back into a loose ponytail, Emma looked closely at herself in the mirror. The color had returned to her cheeks and coupled with the bit of time she had spent outside, it gave her face a lightly tanned glow. She took a few moments to study the wound on her shoulder; it seemed very nearly healed despite the fact that she hadn't been injured _that_ long ago. _I need to remember to thank Rose and Regina for providing the ointment. _She thought as she ran her fingers over the scars. _ The muscles on the other hand, those are going to take a lot more work to mend._

She had made her bed and was tidying her room when she found Henry's post-it note on the bedside table. _Follow your nose. _The short cryptic message was written in his blocky writing. She looked around in confusion before thinking _what does Henry mean by that? _She grinned as she picked up the paper and sniffed it; it had the distinct smell of lavender. _Where would there be lavender? Oh, the soap in my bathroom, of course. _She padded into the bathroom and found three more post-it notes on the mirror. She read the clue that was written on each; she sniffed them and reread the one with the lavender scent. _You might have to dig for this- picnic table._

She slipped into her unlaced tennis shoes and tromped out to the patio. There she found three garden tools, each with a post-it note attached to its handle. She looked at the clippers, the hand rake and the trowel. Laughing, she picked up the trowel and unwrapped the post-it to discover three clues had been written in small writing. She sniffed each part of the paper; the lavender scent was on the bottom. _God, if anyone sees me, they'll think I've lost my mind. _She picked up all the tools and headed to the garage to put them away before following the next hint. _Leave it to Henry to make me follow a treasure hunt to find his book. I'd forgotten how much he loves this covert stuff._

The final clue led her back inside the house and to the upstairs linen closet. _What you smell is what you'll see. _"Well, Henry, all I see are sheets and towels that all smell like the exact same detergent. She reread the clue…_what I'll see…hmmmm. _She looked again, this time noticing all of the different colors. Her eyes were drawn to a lavender colored bath towel. _Ah ha! _She carefully pulled the towel out of the closet to find Henry's book wrapped inside. _You are a clever boy. _She realized that if she had followed any of the other scented clues, besides the lavender one, she'd have been lead on a wild goose chase and never found the book.

Emma settled onto the couch in Regina's study; she brought Rose's three journals, a pen and paper, and Henry's book with her to read. "Alright…" She said as she flipped open the pages. "Let's see what we've got." She began by reading Rose's journals, flitting through the pages, looking for Regina's name. There were, again, many mentions of injuries and sorrow inflicted upon the young brunette; but there were also mentions of joys and celebrations in her life.

_11th Veris 12th year of the reign of King Leopold_

_Today the entire kingdom is celebrating the birth of a new royal heir. Snow White has been born to King Leopold and his wife, Queen Emilie. It seems even the birds and the beasts are more active than normal in this time of commemoration. Then again, it could be because the last of the snow has left the lowlands, bringing a burst of green to our lands. _

_Young Regina and her father Henry visited me today; the sweet girl had made me a soft crown of lavender branches and declared that she thinks I am Queen Rose of the Lowlands. She has declared Daniel to be the heir Prince and she is the Princess. My son actually blushed when she gave him a wooden stick that she had wrapped in vines of ivy and declared it his scepter. _

_Her father, Henry, seems to be in good spirits today as Cora has traveled to capital for five days. He has agreed to bring Regina tomorrow afternoon and leave her in my care. I will plan a tea party with cookies to commemorate the birth of Snow as well as our own unofficial coronation as royalty of the lowlands._

Emma laughed at the thought of Regina declaring Rose to be the Queen of their town. She imagined the small thatched cottage in early springtime as Queen Rose, Princess Regina and Prince Daniel drank the tea and nibbled on cookies. _I wonder if they are the same awesome cookies Rose makes now. Hmmmmm._

Emma continued to read for the rest of the morning, making a timeline of events on the pad and paper. She read of the tragic death of Queen Emilie which left Leopold a widower and Snow motherless. She read of hard winters and Rose's sorrow that she couldn't heal everybody who came to her for help.

The blonde imagined the warm summer nights full of stars and fireflies that flitted across the meadows and ponds. Tales of fresh vegetables from Rose's garden and meat from Daniel's hunting and fishing endeavors made her mouth water. Emma glanced at the clock. _1:30, no wonder I'm hungry. _She brought the journal with her and continued to read as she stood at the kitchen counter and reheated the raviolis that Regina had left her to eat.

_So that's how she got the scar on her lip. _Emma realized as she read of Cora's magic attack on her daughter. The Sheriff had noticed the scar the first time she had met the feisty Mayor. She thought of the one flaw that marred the otherwise perfect face._ Gotta admit, I've always found that scar a bit sexy. _She envisioned the damage to Regina's face that Rose described after the attack. _Damn, Rose, you did a great job healing it. _

She wandered back to the study with the journal and her lunch in hand. She read the last few pages of the book and gently closed it. Picking up the next book, she found the timeline continued from the end of the first journal. If Emma had any doubts that Rose was truly the author of the three books, all doubt was erased when she read of the death of her son, Daniel. The grief of a mother is unlike any other in the world; Emma's heart broke as she reread the story of Regina's first love and his death at the Cora's hand. _So that's what Mary Margaret did to betray Regina; but Snow was just a little girl and Cora was a manipulative bitch._

She knew the story of Daniel's death wasn't significant enough to the author of Henry's book entitled 'Once Upon a Time'; but the wedding of the King to a commoner, that would be in the book somewhere. She flipped open the pages to find the story of the Royal Wedding. The details matched those in Rose's journals, but were given from a different viewpoint. Emma took the two perspectives and compared them; between them, she found the truth. She wrote the brief summary in her notebook-

_So, Regina loves Rose's son, Daniel, who is a stableboy. Cora doesn't approve, but Regina doesn't care. The King and Snow are traveling in their part of the kingdom, Snow's horse runs wild, which according to Rose, was Cora's doing. Regina races her horse, saves Snow, is proposed to by the King, not because he loves her and wants her for a wife, but because he loves his daughter and wants Snow to have a mother. Regina refuses, Cora accepts. Regina and Daniel try to run away, but Snow told Cora that Regina is really in love with Daniel; so, Cora finds them and kills Daniel in front of Regina. Regina is forced to marry the King and…wow, that really sucks._

Emma yawned. _I need a nap. _She took her dishes to the kitchen and then collected the books up in her stronger arm. She padded to her bedroom and placed everything on the nightstand beside her bed with the notebook laid open on top of the pile.

Regina called to Emma when she entered the house after work; hearing no response, she strode to the blonde's room; her stilettos clicking on the marble floor with each step. She paused at the doorway when she saw Emma was sleeping soundly, but then her eyes caught sight of the four books lying on the table beside the bed. _Oh shit. _Her ears roared and the taste of metal was on her tongue as adrenaline surged through her body.

Momentarily frozen, she was powerless to run. She gathered up all of the courage within her and quietly approached the table. She soundlessly read Emma's notebook as she made sure the Sheriff was still sleeping; the brunette read Emma's summary about that time, the day Daniel died. _Emma knows the truth. _The brunette fought the tears as she reread the words; doubt and trust wrestled in her soul as she realized she had two choices. _Admit or deny. _

It was as if there was an unspoken agreement of silence about the books in the house. On the surface, it seemed normal; the daily routine of school, work, physical therapy, suppertime, bedtime. These things never wavered, never changed. Regina and Emma spent evenings together once Henry had gone to bed; sometimes watching a movie or baking bread for the next day. The touches and the smiles, and even the tender kisses, were still plentiful; but Emma could sense that Regina was slowly pulling away. When she looked in the soulful brown eyes, she saw the old walls built up to protect Regina's soul.

Every morning, for days, Emma delved deeper and deeper into the stories of another land replete with imps, dragons, kingdoms, alliances and wars; all threaded by a stream of magic.

Magic, Emma discovered was just a broad umbrella term for a variety of spells and potions that were used for many purposes. _It's not the magic that's inherently good or evil; it's how the sorcerer or sorceress wields it. _She recalled Rose's words that all magic came with a price; and now, having read about Regina's life, she better understood how the small seed of darkness had penetrated the innocent girl's core. That small kernel had been nurtured with jealousy, sorrow and shame; growing into a toxic weed that consumed Regina's soul. _She never stood a chance to be happy; so the fact that Snow White and Prince Charming found true love must have really chapped her hide. _

_But, if darkness can be created, it can also be destroyed._

It was in a quiet moment, on that Tuesday morning that Emma came to the quiet realization that she was in love with Regina. It struck her first as funny; causing the mirth to bubble up from deep within her soul until she released it uncontrollably in fits of laughter. _I've never been in love before, and this is who my heart falls for! _Once the humor had passed, the seriousness of the situation kicked in and Emma felt the familiar urge to run. _Leave now before it gets worse. I could go back to Boston, or to San Francisco; any big city would let me become anonymous again. _

"I'm supposed to be the frigging White Knight." She yelled in the empty house. The responsibility settled like a heavy cloak on her shoulders. _My God, it's all true. _Emma realized she had two choices about her destiny. _Accept or reject._

Regina's Tuesday had started like every other day in the twenty-eight years of Storybrooke's existence. She woke up, drank her coffee, read the Daily Mirror, dressed for work and departed in time to beat Michael to the office. The only change in that never-ending pattern was the addition of dropping Henry off at day-care when he was a toddler, or at school once he turned five; _that and having Emma at home when I go to work. _She mused as she drove to her office.

The Sheriff's daily presence in her life had been an unexpected comfort to the Mayor. Regina looked forward to coming home and spending time with their son, and once he was put to bed, time with just her and Emma. Once again she found joy in cooking, especially since the blonde was so appreciative of the meals the brunette prepared. She found that she liked sitting outside on the back porch swing, holding hands and watching the sunset. Henry had blossomed too since Emma's arrival; he was his old funny, charming, loving self. _Even though he knows the truth about me, he still loves me. _She found that the promise he made to help Emma save her soul was like a life preserver in her stormy ocean of life. She would cling to it as long as it held any chance of becoming true.

_Dang it. _She smiled in good humor as she saw Michael's car parked in his slot as she drove up to the office. _He beat me here again. _She walked in and caught the cheerful assistant as he hung up the phone. "Someone I know, Michael?" She teased him as he blushed.

"Well, Regina, considering you know everybody in this town; I would have to say yes." He turned his computer monitor so she could see the background picture of him and a dark haired man.

"Ricky Davidson? Trust me Michael he isn't the right guy for you." She shook her head. "Why not ask Thomas the bartender out? He'd be a much better match."

_She remembered the day in the castle when she met Thomas. She had spent the morning in the presence of her assistant, who, rather than being his normal, cheery self was jumpy and edgy. "Michael." She tried in vain to get his attention. "Michael." Finally she gave into her temper. "**Michelangelo**!" The stern use of his full given name caused him to drop the teacup he was bringing to her. _

"_Your majesty, forgive me." He immediately began to pick up the broken bits of china before she cast a holding spell that stopped him from moving. _

"_I don't care about the cup." She replied irritably. "I want to know what has got your so fretful." She released him from the spell. _

_He left the cup on the floor, which she promptly vanquished with a disappearing spell, and came to sit next to her at the large table. He was momentarily silent until her growl warned him that her patience was running thin. "It's not a what, my Queen, it's a who; I think I'm in love."_

_Her impatience was replaced with curiosity. Michael had never admitted that another person affected him so profoundly. "Well, who is it?"_

_He hung his head, embarrassed to admit the name. _

"_Oh for crying out loud, Michael, I know you're gay; so just tell me who has finally captured your heart." She felt her lips twitch into a smile at his look of shock. The Queen found that her good humor had returned._

"_But I never…"_

"_Never told me? True." She gave him the smile she reserved only for her adored assistant. "But the fact that you have much better taste in clothing and jewelry that I do, that you have redecorated my private chambers as well as three of the other castle rooms in the latest colors of the season as well as the fact that you have never looked at me in the way that all other men do. It wasn't hard for me to put together the pieces of the puzzle, Michael."_

_He nodded his head. "You're observant, my Queen. But I never told you, because I didn't want to disappoint you."_

_She took his hand and held it. "You could never be a disappointment to me, Michael. I know that you've sworn fealty to the crown and to be of service to me; but you are more than just an assistant in my eyes." She gave a mirthless laugh. "You're actually one of the **very** few people I'm truly fond of. So, tell me who he is."_

_Michael's eyes were wet with tears at her admission of affection. "Ok, but you have to swear to never harm him, even if things don't work out between us."_

"_Fine." The Queen agreed. "He shall not be harmed by me, but it doesn't mean I won't stalk him for the rest of his life if he hurts you."_

_Michael sighed softly as he spoke the name. "Thomas. He's the barkeep at the local tavern."_

"_I've never met this man; you will bring him with you tonight to dine with me." She had liked Thomas immediately. With him, Michael had found true love. When she cast the curse, Thomas was one of the few people that she made sure had remained the same in this new realm. "To give Michael a chance at happiness" she vowed._

Back in Storybrooke, Michael shook his head at her suggestion. "Thomas is out of my league. Every gay man in town wants to be with him; he doesn't even know I exist."

"Well, don't settle for second best, Michael." Her phone rang, breaking off their discussion. Michael sat and dreamily stared at the screen until he heard Regina arguing in the other room. He picked up his handset and silently listened in on the phone conversation.

"Mr. Gold, you can kiss my ass if you think that you can threaten me into submission…you are a self serving bastard who's only interest is money and power." She listened for a few seconds before interrupting the pawnbroker. "Unless you have something besides empty threats and worthless promises don't bother ever speaking to me again." She hung up the phone with such ferocity that it bounced off the receiver and hit the floor. Michael hung up too, and waited for the familiar sound of breaking coffee mugs. He didn't have to wait long before two smashes resonated through the office.

He strode into the Mayor's chambers and began to sweep up the mess Regina had created. Once he dumped the fragments into the trash can he turned to her. "Snap! Girl, I'm glad to see you can still be the Queen Bitch when you need to."

She glared at him through narrowed eyes before giving a quirky smile. "You know that my inner bitch is always just below the surface; just because I'm not as irritable as I was before, doesn't mean I'm a nice person. If you want to find out for yourself, feel free to cross me." She threatened jokingly.

Michael held up his hands in surrender. "No, I think I'll pass on that offer; I rather like working with the nicer version of Mayor Regina Mills."

"Well." She admitted. "I rather like being this version of Regina, it was exhausting to be angry all the time."

On her drive him, Regina turned on the radio; a love song was playing, and though it usually would have annoyed the hell out of her, she instead found that she could relate to the lyrics. She hummed the verse's melody and sang along with the chorus. After twenty-eight long years she finally felt light and free.

She could tell something was wrong when she pulled into her driveway; Henry was sitting outside on the porch, his head in his hands. "Henry, what's wrong?" She searched his body for signs of injury, but the only hurt she saw was in his eyes.

"She's gone."

Her heart pumping, Regina raced to the spare bedroom where Emma had been staying; the room was empty. Emma had folded the clean sheets on top of the bed; but all of her clothing, the collage Henry had made her, as well as all of Rose's journals were gone. Henry's book laid alone on the nightstand. The Mayor slumped to the floor when she realized that Emma had really moved out. Henry came over and handed her the folded sheet of paper. "Here, this is for you, mom." He said as he sat on the floor next to the broken woman.

_Regina, I'll call you tonight. E _She read the note before crumpling it up into a wad and tossing it dejectedly into the hallway.

The brunette wandered listlessly through the rest of the evening; her only comfort was the presence of her son, though his heart was just as broken by the betrayal of the blonde. When the phone rang, she considered ignoring it, but realized that it would just be putting off the inevitable; whatever Emma had to say, she wouldn't let it hurt her anymore. She slid on her mask of indifference and forced her heart to turn to ice as she answered the phone.

"Hey it's Emma." The blonde softly started.

"I realize who this is; what do you want, Miss Swan." She coolly replied.

"Oh, well I wanted to come over and talk with you if you don't mind." _Shit she's pissed._

"Do you really think you have anything to say that I would be interested in? After all you are the one who left." Regina could feel the anger start to burn.

"I had to leave, Regina; and yeah, I think we need to talk. Tonight."

"Fine, come over now; I'll give you ten minutes to say your piece."

"Thank you, I'll be right there." Emma hung up the phone and raced out of the apartment. She pulled up in front of the Mayor's house and said a silent prayer. _God, if you're there, you know I haven't talked to you in over twenty years. I haven't asked for anything, but if you could help me out here, that would be great. This is Emma, by the way, in case you forgot._

She walked down the perfectly manicured pathway to the large covered porch. Taking a steadying breath, she sharply rapped on the door. Regina opened the door and wordlessly let the blonde inside. They walked to the study before the Mayor closed the glass doors that separated her study from the foyer.

"Time's ticking, Sheriff; if you have something to say, you best make it quick." She wrapped her arms around herself, preparing to be rejected for everything she had done and what she had become. _I deserve it. _ She looked at the wall, refusing to meet the green eyes that stared at her.

"Regina?" Emma spoke softly, waiting for the Mayor's eyes to meet hers.

The brunette answered her apprehensively. "Yes?"

Emma shifted so she could look Regina squarely in the face; she braced herself for was sure to follow. "I think we need to talk. Things have been going so well between us, but I have to hear the truth from you." She watched Regina's expression became impenetrable as the Mayor put up every barrier and wall that she could conjure.

The tension rolling off of Regina was a palpable pulse of energy that pushed her emotions safely out of Emma's reach. "Okay, then let's talk." She stated coldly.

Emma was prepared for any emotion except for this, the lack of emotion. _Come on Regina, I know you're in there somewhere. _ "Regina, I promise that nothing between us will change, no matter what you say."

The brunette shrugged in defeat. "You can't promise that; because it _will_ change _everything_."

"Fine. I know about your life; your childhood, Daniel, your marriage to King Leopold and how you tried to ruin Snow White's life. I know all about the spell you cast and why Storybrooke exists." The Sheriff stated simply.

"Did you want an award or a cookie, Miss Swan? If you're here to offer me your pity, I don't need it." She retorted bitterly.

"Pity?" Emma snapped. "Do you really think that after growing up in the foster system, bouncing from home to home, being impregnated by my foster father and then spending time and giving birth behind prison bars that I could really feel pity for _anyone_? Trust me, Regina, I'm not here to offer you pity." Emma reached over to touch a strand of the brunette's hair that had fallen in Regina's face, but Regina quickly pulled away and wrapped her arms around herself. "I want to understand; but I need _you_ to tell me, are you really the…"

"Evil Queen." Regina finished the sentence, knowing that she couldn't bear it if the accusation tumbled from the blonde's lips.

The blonde took a step back, and tried again to climb the barricades that Regina hid her heart behind. "I don't consider you evil. A little twisted perhaps, but that's not a bad thing." She tried to smile, though she knew her next question would be the crux for any chance that they would have a real relationship.

"Those things happened a long time ago, the stories in the book. I get it, you were in a really dark place and it made you do some pretty bad ass stuff." She hesitated, but decided to roll the dice. "I just…"

"Spit it out Sheriff, we don't have all night to dither." Regina's hurt had turned to a familiar feeling of fury. The vein in her forehead pulsed as she felt the emotional dam burst.

"Right, well." She scratched her head as she tried to decide how to phrase the question. "What about what you did to Graham? That was just a couple of months ago."

Regina turned away from the Sheriff as adrenaline surged through her body. She knew this questions was coming from the moment Emma found out the stories were real. Her head pounded and the bile rose in her throat. _Deny it or admit it _were her two best choices; she chose to confess. "I didn't _kill_ him, I swear it on my father's grave." She whispered to Emma.

Emma reached out to with the broken woman. "Then what _did _you do?"

"I released him." She felt the hot tears streaming down her cheeks. "When I realized he felt _nothing _for me, I couldn't bear to have him here."

"Regina, I saw him die." She fought to keep her voice calm, despite her own memory of his death in her arms.

"What you saw was him leaving this realm. He's alive; I sent him back. I can prove it to you." Her face crumpled in grief and guilt. "Just… not today."

Emma reached out and touched Regina's arm. She felt the tremors shake the Mayor's body. She slid closer and pulled the brunette into a tight hug. "I believe you. I just had to know." She kissed Regina's hair, letting her caresses remain a bit longer with each kiss. "I forgive you; I forgive everything."

"Even for what I did to you?" Regina felt the sharp pain of sorrow for sending Emma into a world without love, without family.

"Yes, I forgive even that." The blonde acknowledged.

"Then why did you leave me and Henry?" Regina hugged herself tighter, unable to control all of the emotions that were fighting in her soul.

"Because, I realized that I'm in love with you." She let her hands rest lightly on the Mayor's forearms. "I _had _to leave so that I knew I could be an equal in this relationship. I couldn't do that while I was dependent on you for everything."

She wiped the tears that fell from the dark chocolate eyes. "I had to know that I could bring my _whole_ being into this. Regina, I've never loved anyone before, not like this; and I know I'm going to screw up a lot. I've never needed anyone before; I can be stubborn, I can be relentless, I don't know how to cook, I tend to destroy toasters, but please, all I'm asking for is a chance to win your heart."

Regina leaned forward so that her forehead gently touched Emma's. "I can be a bitch, I know. I'm moody; sometimes I'm unreasonable, and kind of a control freak. I know that I, of all people, don't _deserve_ to be happy….but the truth is you don't have to try; Emma Swan, you already have my heart."

For the second time in Regina's life, she felt the enchantment of true love. With Daniel, it was the love of innocent teenagers; ready to run away and live the life of adventure. With Emma, it was the love of two fractured hearts that, like a yin-yang, were made whole by the other's half. "Emma, I love you too." The lingering kiss they shared was a gentle reunion of two souls coming home.


	27. Chapter 27

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

**Chapter Twenty-seven**

Regina was surprised when Emma walked into her office on Friday afternoon. "Emma, is everything alright?" She tried in vain to keep the anxiety out of her voice.

"It's Sheriff Swan to you Madame Mayor." Emma winked and sauntered over to the brunette for a kiss. She pressed the brunette against the mahogany desk and nipped on her neck before trailing her mouth up to Regina's full lips.

"Is that so, _Sheriff_ Swan?" The Mayor gave the blonde a mirthful smile between kisses. "I don't see any coffee or apple fritters in your hands."

"Hmmm, that's true." Emma teased, playing with the buttons on the Mayor's gray silk blouse. "But it seems I already have my hands full."

"Yes, so it seems." She laughed; the vibration tingled Emma's lips. "I take it your doctor visit went well then?"

The blonde kissed the curve of Regina's smooth throat. "Yes." She murmured before placing one more kiss on the brunette's lips. She stepped back and reached into her front pocket. "Good news; I'm clear to come back to my job. I still have to do physical therapy; but here's the doctor's note releasing me for work."

Regina read the note before unlocking and reaching into her desk drawer. "Then congratulations, you are officially back on duty, but not till Monday. This weekend you are all mine." She handed Emma her badge.

Emma clipped the star onto her belt and grinned. "Maybe I should start by arresting you for being so damn sexy; I'm sure that would require a thorough search of your body."

The Mayor laughed as she gently pushed the blonde away. "Emma, if I ever want to get home tonight I need to be able to focus on my job." She leaned in and gave the blonde a quick kiss. "What time can Henry and I expect you tonight?"

Emma returned the kiss and grinned. "How about six o'clock?"

"Will you spend the night? I'll make French toast tomorrow for breakfast." The Mayor bribed.

Emma laughed. "That's not fair! You know I can't say no to French toast."

The Sheriff gave Regina one more kiss before waltzing out the door. "See you tonight."

The Mayor waited until Michael called her to say that Emma had left the building and had driven away. Her demeanor immediately changed as she made the first of many phone calls.

"This is the Mayor….she's coming back to work on Monday; is there still time?...I _know _it's sooner than expected, but the doctor released her….no, if we're going to do it, it has to be now before she's back….I understand….yes, I know these things take time….well you should have been preparing for this once she was injured….now isn't the time to get cold feet…if you can't do it, I'll find someone who's willing….yes, she's spending the night tonight so she'll be occupied….fine, call Michael when it's time, he'll let me know when and where to bring her…don't' worry about the money, I'll pay you once it's done…yes…it doesn't matter to me….that's fine…I really don't need the details, I just need it handled….yes…goodbye."

She shook her head and sighed once the call was finished. It wasn't going to be easy to pull this off on such short notice; it was going to be harder to keep it a secret in Storybrooke. She pushed the intercom button. "Michael, I'll have my cell phone with me. I'll wait for your call tomorrow; I think I need to work from home for the rest of the day." She didn't wait for his reply before hanging up and then organizing her paperwork.

She picked up Henry from school and headed to the grocery store. Regina usually loathed shopping in the middle of the afternoon; it seemed that every citizen had a question or a suggestion about how the town should be run. But today was different; everybody still spoke to her as she passed them in the aisles, but the questions were about Emma. "Mayor Mills, how lovely to see you; how is Emma doing?" Was the most common inquiry. She found that she didn't mind talking to people and telling them about Emma's progress; but she also found it curious that everyone seemed to think that she would know about the Sheriff's status. _I guess the town gossips have been busy._

She was picking out two cantaloupes when she saw Mary Margaret carrying a red plastic tote in the produce section. The Mayor sighed; the schoolteacher was the one person she had hoped to avoid. _Shit. _She forced a smile when the teacher greeted her. "Madame Mayor, it's nice to see you this afternoon."

"Miss Blanchard." She felt the words stick in her throat. "Thank you; it's nice to see you, too."

The teacher found that, as usual, the Mayor's presence was able to throw her off-balance and she felt her confidence fade. "Okay, well have a nice weekend." She mustered before walking away towards the dairy section.

Once they were home, Henry and Regina carried the grocery bags inside of the house and into the kitchen. "Hey mom?" He handed her the eggs and bacon. "Is Emma coming over for dinner tonight?"

Regina grinned at the mere mention of the blonde's name. "Yes, she'll be here around six, so once we finish putting away groceries I need you to do your homework." She took the proffered milk carton and placed it neatly in the fridge.

He nodded vigorously. "Awesome! Is she going to come back tomorrow too?"

Regina ruffled his hair. "Actually she's going to spend the night tonight; in the guest room, of course."

He shrugged his shoulders. "She should just sleep with you." He noticed her stunned expression. "Come on, mom, I'm not a baby anymore; I can handle it." He answered confidently.

Her eyes twinkled as she looked at her son. _No, he's not a baby anymore; he's my little man. And he's not just mine anymore…he's Emma's son too._

The had finished putting the groceries away when Regina realized that she was missing the sliced ham she needed to make Chicken Cordon Bleu for supper. She tried to call Emma, but it went directly to voicemail. "Henry, I need to run back to the store for ham." She called from downstairs.

His head poked out of his bedroom doorway. "Mom, let's go to Granny's tonight; it'll be fun with me, you and Emma. We can play _Who's who."_

"Who's what?" She asked confusedly.

"You'll see; it'll be fun."

"Sure, why not? It will be nice to take a night off from cooking." She sat her purse back down on the entry table as she walked back to her study. "Hurry up with your homework then so we can watch movies later."

Emma pulled into the Mayor's driveway five minutes early. _Her promptness is rubbing off. _She smirked as she pulled her duffel bag out of the back seat. She tapped on the front door before cracking it open and yelling "Hello?"

Regina was puttering in her bedroom when she heard the blonde's voice. She finished putting the fresh pillowcases on before she ran her hand over the comforter to smooth out the imaginary wrinkles. "I'll be right there, Emma." She called to the blonde. "Make yourself at home."

Emma felt her face break into a grin at the sound of the Mayor's voice. She also felt the heat surge in her core at the thought of touching the brunette.

Heading to her spare bedroom, she was nearly knocked over by Henry, who plowed into her for a hug. _Ouch. _She winced as the pain shot through her shoulder, but managed to silently endure the ache. "Hey kid, what's up?"

"Mom's letting us go to Granny's tonight."

"Ohhhh, are we going to play _Who's who?" _She asked excitedly.

"Yup, so bring your notebook." He waved his pad for her to see.

She dug through her bag before her hand emerged victoriously. "Got it; is your homework done?"

"Yes, Emma." He heaved a sigh. "Mom already asked me that three times.

"Well, this mom has only asked you once." She tidied his hair before rezipping her bag. "Okay, let's go see if your mom is ready to go."

Regina was standing in the hallway near Emma's room; the blonde felt the heat rise as soon as she noticed the Mayor. The brunette was dressed in a crimson turtleneck and black denim jeans, her outfit completed by a pair of black flats and ruby stud earrings. "Damn, you look hot." Emma sauntered over and gave the Mayor a smoldering kiss. Neither of them noticed Henry sneak upstairs.

Granny's was usually packed on Friday nights, and this night was no exception. The harried waitress waved to them from across the diner. "Sit down anywhere; I'll be right over."

They found a booth near the back wall and sat down; Henry made a point to sit in the middle of his seat, forcing the women to sit next to each other. He and Emma both searched around before scribbling in their notebooks.

"What are you guys doing?" The waitress voiced the Mayor's unasked question as she appeared with three glasses of water.

Henry quickly covered his paper with his hand. "Um…we're just playing a game."

The young server grinned. "I love games! I'm too busy tonight, but will you teach it to me sometime?" She asked as she passed them their menus.

"Uh…sure." Henry forced a smile as Emma nodded.

"Awesome! Okay, figure out what you want to eat and I'll be back for your orders." She skipped away to serve another table.

Regina had watched the interaction with interest. "So, are you two planning on teaching _me _this game?"

Emma reached out and rubbed the brunette's hand before the Mayor snatched it away. _Oops, forgot we're in public. _The blonde gave her best _I'm sorry _look. Regina nodded and sighed.

"Of course you get to play, mom." Henry chimed. "You're the only one who knows the answers."

"Alright." Emma wrote quickly in her notebook. "I'm ready when you are."

Henry scribbled one more line on his paper before nodding. "Ready."

He looked at the brunette. "Ok, so here's the game. Emma and I are competing to see who can guess the most people correctly. So, we take turns telling you who we think the person is in…" He looked around the diner and then softened his voice to a whisper. "_Fairytale land_." He looked around again before continuing at his normal volume. "And you tell us if we're right or wrong."

Regina smirked. "Alright, I'll play along; what does the winner get?"

"Um….." Henry stumbled.

"We haven't really thought of a prize." Emma confessed.

"Oh, but games always need a prize." Regina's voice was sultry and low. "And it's no fair that I don't get a reward for playing, too." She looked at the blonde as she spoke.

Emma felt her face flush as she murmured in the brunette's ear. "Don't worry, I'll make sure to reward you very well."

Ruby came back to refill their waters and to take their orders; once she left, they began the game.

"Alright, I'm first." Stated Henry.

"Hey, how come you're first?" Emma protested

"Because I'm the cutest!" He gave them a cheeky smile.

"Henry's right, he is the cutest." Regina agreed with their son.

"Okay…." He looked around the room and nodded towards a male in his mid-forties with thinning brown hair and a handlebar mustache. "I think Mr. Mitchell is….King George."

Regina glanced at the man in question. "Not even close." She smirked. "Emma, your turn."

The blonde surveyed the crowd before finding Kathryn. She nodded towards David's wife. "Okay she has to be Cinderella."

Regina laughed and shook her head _no._ "You each get two more and then I want to talk about something else, okay?"

The two competitors mockingly glared at her and then at each other. "Deal." Henry said. "I guess that…Ruby is Red Riding Hood." He sat back with a satisfied smirk.

"Oh, that was too easy!" Emma groused as she showed Regina her notebook. "Look, I guessed that, too."

Regina glanced at the writing. "Fair enough, you both get a point."

Emma quickly spoke. "Then I guess Granny is…well, Granny. You know, Red Riding Hood's grandma."

"Mom, that's not fair. Emma cheated." Henry complained.

Regina sighed. _Competitive much? _"Fine, you both get a point for knowing that one. And…" She nodded towards the waitress. "She goes by Red."

They both scribbled the information in their notes.

Henry looked around once more until he sat back with a smirk on his lips. "Kathryn is Belle."

Regina looked puzzle. "Belle isn't a blonde, Henry; so…no. Emma last turn." She watched as the blonde consulted her notepad.

"Ah ha! Rose…" She nodded towards the healer who was sitting alone at a table. "Is Rose; Daniel's mom."

Regina nodded and then stood. "I'm going to ask her to join us, since the game is over." She walked away slowly enough to hear Emma bragging about winning. She felt a smile tug at the corner of her mouth. _They're like children. _She approached the older woman and sat across from her at the table. "Rose, would you come join us for supper?"

The healer smiled as she nodded. "Regina, my dear, I would love to." She stood and followed the Mayor back to the booth; sliding in next to Henry to sit down.

"Hey Rose." The boy greeted the herbalist. "Want to play Who's who with us?"

Regina rolled her eyes when Rose agreed to the game. "Fine, three more rounds, but that's it; I want to enjoy my supper, not break my neck looking around all night." The brunette declared.

Emma casually leaned over and whispered in the brunette's ear. "I'll massage your neck, and more." Her warm breath tickled the Mayor's ear. "Especially if you give me hints."

Regina playfully slapped the blonde's hand. "No cheating. Okay, Rose you get to go first. Find someone in the diner and guess who they were in Fairytale Land. Emma's already guessed who you are; and she and Henry tied guessing that Ruby is Red Riding Hood and Granny is her grandma."

Rose looked surprised. "Ruby? Really? Well, that does explain a few things." She scanned the faces in the diner. "Okay. My guess is that Kathryn is Ariel the mermaid."

Regina shook her head. "What is it with you guys and Kathryn?"

Emma shrugged. "I don't know; she just looks like a princess."

Regina gave them a small smile. "Well you have that part right, but I'm not telling which princess she is. Oh look, supper's here. Game's over for now." She laughed.

It was quite late by the time Regina and Emma put Henry to bed for the night. After supper at Granny's, the foursome went to the bakery for dessert. Rose bowed out after eating pie, claiming she needed to be up early the next morning. "There's a famers' market down on Main Street and I hope to sell some of my remedies. Maybe I'll see you all there." She gave each of them a hug and then walked away towards her shop.

Once they got home, Henry picked out a movie for them all to watch. He had lain on the floor, his body surrounded by pillows while Emma and Regina cuddled on the couch. They noticed halfway through the movie that he was sound asleep. Carefully, Regina carried him up the stairs.

"I could have carried him." Emma spoke when the Mayor returned to the study. She had turned the movie off and was lying on the couch. She sat back, her sock clad feet on the other end of the sofa, and spread her legs so the brunette could sit in front of her.

"Well, considering you still can't fully move your shoulder, I really don't want you to push it. Anyways, I've carried him plenty of times." Regina leaned back onto Emma's chest and rolled her head forward, exposing the back of her neck to the blonde.

Emma reached up and began to massage the brunette's shoulders. "You're tense tonight; is everything alright?"

Regina shrugged and tried to relax. "I don't know…it's just, that game you and Henry were playing; it kind of got to me."

Emma stilled her hands, considering the woman's words. "Do you want to talk about it?" She offered.

Regina sighed again before answering. "Not really; but I guess we need to."

"Why's that?" Emma queried.

"Because you need to know who the key players were in that realm; it will help you have a better grasp on things. After all…" She tried to sound nonchalant. "You are Princess Emma."

The blonde snorted. "That sounds so weird; especially coming from you."

Regina moved, sitting on the other side of the couch. Emma was hurt, until the brunette murmured. "Come here."

She sat next to the Mayor and watched as Regina took her notebook and began to draw a picture that looked like a blob. "This is the Realm in Fairytale Land." She divided the blob into fourteen uneven sections. "These are the kingdoms within the Realm." She wrote in small letter, noting the names of the kingdoms. Pointing to one large kingdom on the most southeast part of the blob she wrote down names. "This is the kingdom of Snow White and Prince James, also known as Charming. Which means…" She added Emma's name to the blob. "This, Princess Emma, is the kingdom you are from. It originally was reigned over by King George, that's Albert Spencer the District Attorney by the way. Anyway, they performed a successful coup and claimed his throne. Which, in my opinion, was a good thing; George was always making deals with Rumpelstiltskin."

"That's Mr. Gold, right?" Emma asked as she rubbed small circles on the brunette's lower back.

"Right, the Dark Lord himself; seems even here everyone is indebted to him." She turned the blonde. "I'm glad you paid off your debt to him."

Emma kissed the brunette. "Me too; I'm sorry you found out the way you did, but I have to say if it wasn't for him insisting that I be nice to you we never would be here today."

Regina searched Emma's hazel eyes. "Emma…" She faltered as fear constricted her throat. "What we have…it's real right? Not part of some deal you made?"

Emma pulled the Mayor into a firm hug. "What. We. Have. My. Love…." She softly kissed her between each word to emphasize her point. "Is very, very real." The next few moments were spent in a passionate kiss that nearly derailed the brunette's plan.

"Emma…" She panted, pulling away from her lover. "I promise there will be plenty of time for that tonight; but it really is of utmost importance that I explain this to you." She gestured to the drawing.

"Fine." Emma play-pouted as she returned to gently rubbing circles on Regina's back.

"Okay, back to Snow White's realm." She began again to explain.

"Altaire and Valaria." Emma whispered.

"How do you know those names?" Regina cocked her head in surprise.

"From a dream." Emma remembered. "They thought you were going to attack those cities."

Regina smiled. "My reputation as a conqueror far exceeded reality; I never tried to attack any other realms, and yet there were constant rumors of my conquests."

"They would have killed you." The blonde stated simply.

"Yes; of that there's no question. Fortunately, I seldom left my castle; and if I did it was under heavy guard." The Mayor pointed to a smaller part of the blob and drew a castle with sharp spikes and angles. "This was my kingdom; originally Leopold's, but once he died and I banished Snow…" She continued on despite her embarrassment at her actions. "Well, the castle didn't always look so do dark…"

She pointed to another large section of the realm. "This was King Midas' Kingdom."

"The guy who turns anything he touches to gold?" Emma recalled the fairy tale from her childhood.

"Yes, and his daughter Abigail is….?" She trailed off to give Emma a chance to guess.

"Kathryn?" She deduced.

"Well done, my love. She's married to Prince Frederick, the brave knight whom Midas accidentally turned to solid gold until Prince Charming saved him. Okay, so King Midas is Brian Goldsworthy who owns the jewelry store on Second Street and Frederick is Jim, the gym teacher at the elementary school."

Emma raised her eyebrows. "Oh, I never would have guessed that one correctly. Okay, who does this kingdom belong to?" She tapped her finger on a small southern kingdom.

Regina's eyes narrowed as she wrote the names in the small area. "That's where Mr. Gold's castle lies. He doesn't have a kingdom, per se, but the Dark Castle is a key landmark to know. This…" She tapped the larger area just west of it. "is the paltry kingdom of King Maurice; his daughter is Belle."

"Like _Beauty and the Beast_ Belle?" Emma asked.

"One and the same." Regina admitted. "This kingdom is where Cinderella and Prince Thomas are from. Any guess on who they are in Storybrooke?" Regina found that she was enjoying Emma and Henry's guessing game.

"Do I know them?"

"Yes."

"Are they together here?"

"Yes."

"Oh! Is it Ashley Boyd and Sean Herman?" She asked excitedly.

Regina smiled at her enthusiasm. "Yes, well done." She rewarded Emma with a kiss.

"Ohhh, nice reward. Let's play some more." Emma wiggled her eyebrows at the brunette.

"Fine, one more. Michael."

"Michael? Hmmmm, is he your assistant in that realm?"

"Yes, though it's Michelangelo there."

"So who's his partner in your kingdom?" Emma asked out of curiosity.

"Thomas, the barkeeper."

Emma laughed. "He's the bartender at the Rabbit Hole! Why aren't he and Michael together?"

Regina shook her head sadly. "Michael thinks Thomas is out of his league. He has no idea how much they love each other."

Emma paused and measured Regina's comment. "I think it's very sad."

"About them?" Regina turned and looked at Emma.

"About everybody, actually; I mean it's so messed up here. David's with Kathryn when he should be with Mary Margaret; Kathryn should be with the gym teacher, who's actually a brave knight. Michael isn't with Thomas…nobody's really happy."

Regina turned away from the blonde. "You know it's because I cast the curse, right? I already feel like shit about it, you don't have to rub it in."

Emma reached out to the Mayor. "Oh sweetie, I wasn't blaming you; I'm just wondering if there's a way to fix it."


	28. Chapter 28

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

She listened to Emma's rhythmic breathing as she lay awake in the pre-dawn light; the blonde had asked if there was a 'way to fix' everyone's unhappiness. _Of course there is, but at what cost to me…to us? _To 'fix' it, as Emma implied was to break the curse; to give up all that Regina had created when she cast the spell twenty-eight years before. Emma turned in her sleep and faced the brunette. Slowly, the blonde woke and quietly watched Regina. "Hey." She finally whispered. Regina's concentration broke at the sound and she turned to face Emma.

"What are you thinking about?" Emma asked as she snuggled closer under the warm blankets.

"Life."

"Anything specific? Or just life in general?"

Regina blew out a deep breath and shook her head. "Really, it's nothing; go back to sleep."

Emma heard the defeat in the Mayor's voice. "Regina, if it's keeping you awake at this god awful hour, I'm sure it's not 'nothing'. Is it what we talked about last night?"

Regina nodded, but remained silent.

"You know you won't lose me." She paused. "Or Henry."

A single tear ran down the brunette's cheek. "You can't promise that, Emma."

The blonde snuggled closer and placed a gentle kiss on Regina's forehead. "Yes I can. Do you know what would make me happy?"

Regina shook her head.

"I'd like a small cabin in the forest next to a lake; maybe ten acres or so of land, a couple cats; just me, you and Henry."

"Emma, there aren't any lakes in Storybrooke." Regina's brow furrowed in confusion.

"No, I mean in the other realm."

"Hmmm, that does sound lovely; but how about a cottage near the ocean so we can watch the sunset every night? Then, once it's dark we can sit outside and look at the stars and the fire folk. They'd seem a lot like the fireflies we have here; but they're gentle, sentient beings." She gave a small smile at the daydream they were sharing before adding. "We'd have to have horses; then life would be perfect for me."

They spent the rest of the morning alternating between sleeping and making love. It was nearly eleven o'clock when Regina persuaded Emma that they really did have to leave the warmth of the bed. "Come on, I have some errands to run that can't wait until Monday; plus the pharmacy closes at two, so we have to get going."

Emma begrudgingly rolled out of bed and, wrapping a silk robe around her naked body, headed towards the shower. "Are you going to join me?" She asked the brunette.

Regina peeked into the bathroom and gave the blonde a quick kiss. "I wish, but I have to get Henry up and ready; plus I'm nearly dressed."

Emma smirked and reached out for the brunette. "Well, that could change." She tried to unbutton the Mayor's blouse, but Regina wriggled away.

"If we start that…" She straightened her blouse. "…we'd never leave the house today."

Emma gave her best puppy dog-eyes look. "Awww, you say that like it's a bad thing."

"I'm leaving this house in fifteen minutes; you are coming with whether you're naked or dressed." She threatened as she walked out of the bedroom.

She listened for the sound of the water turning on, ensuring that Emma was really in the shower before she made a phone call. "Okay, we're about to leave the house, what time and where do I bring her?" She nodded at the information given from the other end of the phone line. "Perfect, we will be there….no she doesn't suspect it…it's better that way; she'll just have to deal with it….okay, see you then."

She went to Henry's room and stood for a minute in the doorway just watching him sleep. _So much has changed over the past couple of weeks._ She smiled at the thought that once again her son truly loved her. _He's no longer my little boy. _She thought as she realized that he no longer saw the world in just black and white, good and evil; he understood there were many shades of gray. He wanted her to live and to love. _He's become my little knight in shining armor and Emma is truly my white knight._

Regina endured the endless questions from the two of them as they drove around town. Finally Emma and Henry settled into a game of 'Who's who' which only prompted more questions. "I think…" Henry started as they went by the jewelry shop and saw the owner in the doorway. "…that Mr. Goldsworthy is King Midas." Regina acknowledged his correct guess. Emma handed him a piece of paper with a list of names. "No way! She told you all of these?"

Emma ruffled his hair. "She had to kid; she knew that when we finally break the curse, we'd have to know the key people over there."

He studied the list more intently before deciding. "But this is only a handful of names; we can still work on the rest, right?"

The blonde smiled and nodded. "Absolutely, kid."

"You two had better have lots of paper then." Regina chimed in as she turned the corner and headed towards Bay Park.

"Why's that…" Emma's question trailed off when she saw hundreds of people gathered and a banner proclaiming "Welcome Back Sheriff Swan" hung over the pavilion.

Everyone gathered around the Mercedes as Regina parked it next to the picnic area. Emma's door was opened and she stepped out to greet all of the townspeople. The throng moved her towards the picnic tables that were laden with a variety of foods.

Regina walked towards the small podium and waited for Dr. Hopper to hand her the microphone. Checking that it was on, she smiled and welcomed the townspeople. "Good afternoon everyone..." Many people returned the greeting before she continued. "Emma, get up here." She ordered; the blonde quickly made her way up to stand next to the Mayor. "As you all know, Sheriff Swan was injured in the line of duty and in the act of saving our son, Henry." She wrapped her arm around the blonde's torso, surprising Emma with the public display of affection. "For the past few weeks she has been undergoing physical therapy in hopes to be able to return to her position as our town Sheriff. Many thanks to the hospital staff, especially Doctor Whale, and to the physical therapy staff who helped Emma on her road to recovery. I'd also like to give a big thank you to the volunteers who have, and will continue to assist our town, through their hard work at the Sheriff's office. I 'm pleased to announce that Sheriff Swan had been cleared by her doctor to return to full duty. Thank you all for coming to celebrate the news and to welcome Emma back as Sheriff of Storybrooke." The cheering overwhelmed Emma and she found herself holding back tears as she beamed at her friends. Once the applause had nearly ended the Mayor continued. "Please, enjoy this beautiful day here in Storybrooke; now help yourself to all the wonderful food that Granny and her crew have prepared." She turned the microphone off and handed it to Dr. Hopper.

Mary Margaret waited patiently until most of the crowd had dispersed before she approached Emma. She gave her a heartfelt hug which Emma happily returned. "I know you're busy being the guest of honor, but spare me a few minutes later when things calm down, okay?" Emma nodded and clasped the teacher's hand. "I've missed you more than you could realize."

Regina and Henry brought Emma a paper plate loaded with food; barbecue chicken breast, potato salad, green grapes and a slice of moist chocolate cake threatened to spill over the edges of the plate. "Wow, this is unbelievable." Emma looked around at all of the people who were enjoying their lunches; some had finished and were playing a pick-up game of touch football, while others threw a Frisbee or were playing at the horseshoe pit.

Henry looked around while he finished off his vine of grapes. "There aren't that many people here though." Regina and Emma looked at him quizzically before the brunette answered. "Henry, the entire town turned out for this party."

He nodded and then whispered. "That's what I mean; in the other realm there are a bunch of kingdoms. I thought there would be hundreds of thousands of people."

"Millions, actually." Regina admitted.

"But there's only like twenty thousand people in Storybrooke. Where are the rest?"

Emma watched the quiet exchange in rapt curiosity. _Henry has an excellent point._

"Hmmm…"Regina hedged before murmuring softly. "Well, from what I've surmised over the past twenty-eight years is that only the people who ever had contact with me in the other realm were brought here by the curse. The rest remained in the other realm."

"Without all the Kings and Queens and nobility, wouldn't that cause anarchy?" Emma wondered aloud.

Regina shrugged her shoulders. "Let's hope Mr. Gold planned for that; he may be pure evil but he is all about control; he's never been a fan of chaos. And from the deals he has tried to make with me, I gather that things will be as they were when I cast the curse; everyone there is probably held in stasis."

The conversation was forced to end when people started to leave from the party and came by to wish Emma well. To Regina's surprise, many of them also voiced warm sentiments for her, too. It seemed that the townspeople no longer lived in fear of the Mayor, but rather in admiration. Emma found that she was tiring as the afternoon wore on. _I think I've talked to every single person in town today. _She covered her yawn with the back of her hand as she looked around the small crowd that still remained. "Excuse me for a minute, I'll be right back." She stood and walked over to where Mary Margaret was reading a paperback novel.

"Hey." She said as she sat next to her roommate.

"Oh, hey yourself." The teacher smiled as she tucked a bookmark into the pages and put the book aside. "Great party; I'm glad you get to go back to work."

"Me too." Emma acknowledged. "How have you been?" She tried to ignore the tension that lay between them.

"Oh, fine. You know...School keeps me busy." She fidgeted with the bottom button on her blouse. "Do you know, I mean do you plan to come back to the apartment to live? Or are you moving in with Regina and Henry?" She tried to keep her tone light, but the disappointment crept in. "I mean I want you to be happy, so I understand if you move out. It's just…Well, I'll really miss having you around."

Emma leaned over and bumped shoulders with Mary Margaret. "I think a lot of things are about to change around here. But even if we don't live together, I need you to know that you truly are family to me and you will never lose me. I just need a couple more days to figure things out, okay?"

The teacher cocked her head at the statement. "Emma, you're family to me, too. That will never change, no matter what happens."

Regina watched as Emma leaned her head on the teacher's shoulder. Jealousy flared inside of her before she extinguished it with the simple thought. _She really does have her mother's smile._ She smiled as Emma swaggered back to her. _But I have her heart._

It was late in the evening when they finally arrived home and settled down for the night; Regina walked into the study to find Emma teaching Henry the basics of the game of chess. She sat next to the blonde and rubbed random patterns on her back. She had never learned the game herself; the other realm had a game that was similar in strategy, but her father never taught it to her when she was younger and by the time she was an adult, her life was too complicated to worry about learning a simple board game.

She followed along as Emma taught the permissible moves of each different piece on the board; a small sense of satisfaction infused her when she realized that the Queen was the most powerful piece. _As it should be. _She mused. She also realized, as she watched the game unfold, that to master the game you had to be able to think three or four moves ahead of your opponent. _You have to stay steps ahead and anticipate their moves as well._

"Checkmate." Emma announced as her castle took Henry's bishop. "And bedtime for you kiddo."

Henry looked at her with big brown eyes.

"No way kid, I'm not falling for that." Emma shook her head in amusement. "We can play again tomorrow, okay?"

Regina let the blonde take charge of their son's bedtime. _It's nice to not have to be the bad guy sometimes. _She relaxed on the couch while Emma followed up on Henry to make sure he was truly in bed. The blonde returned a few minutes later, satisfied that she and Regina would have time alone to talk.

She sat next to the brunette and Regina turned to face her. She took Emma's hand and brushed her thumb lightly over the Sheriff's wrist. "I think it's time to play real life chess."

Emma looked at her questioningly. "What do you mean?"

"If we are going to break the curse, we need to plan; there are pieces that need to be in place before the curse is broken if we are to succeed."

Emma gave the brunette a quick kiss before she stood and went to the desk; she came back with a pad of paper and a pen. "Okay, let's do this. What needs to happen first?"

They worked together to compile a list of problems that faced them in the other realm; for each problem they listed complications as well as solutions. "This is going to take some time." Emma admitted.

"True, but I think we can at least do these right away." She pointed to the top of the list. "Once those pieces are in place we can work on the problem that is Mr. Gold."


	29. Chapter 29

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

**Chapter Twenty-nine**

Emma made the phone call early the next morning, knowing that the teacher was an early riser, even on Sundays. "Hey Mary Margaret, I know it's your day off, but would you be willing to come over to Regina's this morning. There's something important we need to discuss with you….No, Henry's fine, it's not about school….Okay see you at ten."

"Love, I just spoke to Mary Margaret; she's agreed to come over at ten. Henry called a few minutes ago; he made it safely to John's house. He plans to stay there and play all morning."

Regina paced the floor in the study as the clock chimed nine forty-five. She had spent all morning preparing for the meeting, but she still felt like there were butterflies in her stomach. _Once this is done, there's no going back. Am I really ready for this? _Doubt clouded her thoughts until she felt the warm body embrace her from behind. Arms wrapped around her and lovingly held her.

"You're doing the right thing, my love; and I'm with you every step of the way." Emma softly spoke in Regina's ear.

"I hope you're right; if not I'm screwed." The brunette's voice cracked.

"The only screwing will be us later tonight, okay?" Emma kissed the soft brown hair.

"Promises, promises." Regina teased as the clock chimed ten times. She pulled away and straightened her posture; regaining her confident composure she sat on the couch and waited for the teacher to arrive.

The doorbell rang moments later and Emma stood to answer it. "Ready?" She asked the Mayor.

Regina took a deep breath and gave the blonde a sharp nod. "Ready."

"I love you." Emma answered before opening the door.

"I love you, too."

The doorbell chimed again as Emma swung the front door open. "Hey, come on in." She greeted the nervous schoolteacher. She took Mary Margaret by the arm and walked her into the study.

"Hello Mary Margaret." Regina tried to sound friendly, but was worried it sounded forced. The woman who stood in front of her was both her step-daughter and former arch-enemy. _This is going to take some getting used to._

"Hello Regina." The teacher apprehensively responded.

"Please…" She gestured to the opposite couch. "Have a seat."

The doorbell rang again and Emma scurried to answer it. "Hey come on in, we're in the study."

As soon as they entered the room, Mary Margaret protested. "What is _he_ doing here?"

"Have a seat, David." Regina pointed to the empty spot next to the teacher before answering the question. "He's here because this involves both of you. Please, just hear me out."

The protest died on Mary Margaret's lips as Regina spoke. "Mary Margaret, David, I know that I've never given you any reason to trust or believe me; I realize that I haven't made your lives easy at all over the past years."

Emma jumped in as she saw Regina falter. "But I have never given you reason to doubt me since we've met; so please, for my sake, just listen to what Regina has to say."

"Fine." Mary Margaret straightened her back, folded her arms, and waited.

"Uh, okay." David just looked confused.

Regina sat regally as she began. "First off, I need you both to know the truth; the book that you gave Henry, the one about fairytales…" She met the teacher's eyes.

Mary Margaret nodded. "What about it?"

Regina took a deep breath. "It's real." She let the silence fill the room as the two guests digested the thought.

"Real? How can that be?" Mary Margaret looked perplexed at the Mayor.

"It's a long story, but suffice it to say that I did cast a curse which brought all of us here to Storybrooke; it was my attempt to snuff out everybody's chance at a happily ever after."

The teacher's gaze fell to the blonde. "Emma?"

"I know it's hard to believe, but she's telling the truth."

"What you're saying is absurd; but even if it were true, why tell us? What good does it do?" David queried.

"Because…" Emma stated. "…we're going to break the curse; and we need to prepare to go back to the other realm."

Mary Margaret couldn't help the small giggle that slipped from her throat. _They've both become delusional; it's only a book of fairy tales._

Regina cut in sharply, wanting to just get the next part over with. "This…" she pulled out the sheet of paper that had a detailed map drawn on it. "…is the Fairytale Realm. Let's just call it the Realm for now. Here…" She tapped the map. "..Is your kingdom, Queen Snow and King James. And here…" She pointed to an adjacent land. "…is my kingdom; which was your father's Snow, until he died, and I became ruler. I want to give the two of you my kingdom, in exchange for three things."

Mary Margaret laughed at the absurdity of the conversation. "Sure, why not."

David remained silent but his thoughts were spinning. _What the hell is she talking about? Oh God, The Mayor has finally snapped._

Regina removed a large ring from her right middle finger and handed it to Snow. "This ring will give you Right of Rule and recognizes you as the Queen of the Kingdom." She pulled a staff from behind the couch. "King David, this scepter represents the King of the Kingdom; as such, it is rightfully yours. You must both keep them with you at all times now; once the curse is broken you may only take back with you what you have in your possession. You will need to ensure that those two items return with you to the Realm."

Curiosity got the better of them and they reached for the offered items. Emma's eyes widened as she saw a shockwave rush through them as their hands touched the ring and scepter. Immediately their demeanor changed from submissive and lost into regal and strong. _So this is what they're __**really**__ like._

The teacher turned in amazement towards the blonde man. "Charming…you found me." Her eyes filled with tears as they hugged and quickly kissed.

"Snow." Was all he was able to say as his throat constricted with emotion.

The teacher faced the blonde. "My sweet baby Emma, you've come back to us." The tears ran quickly down Snow's face. "This is unbelievable." Her attention turned to Regina and she glared. "And _you_…"

Emma jumped in when saw the hurt in both of the women's eyes. "Mary Margaret, I know there's bad blood between you, but please just let Regina do this, for my sake." She pleaded to their guests.

The teacher glanced at the blonde. "Emma, my name is Snow; you can call me that or mom, whichever you are most comfortable with. But Mary Margaret is no longer my name."

Emma laughed. "I'll have to stick with Snow for now; the other is still too surreal to consider. What about you?" She turned to the man.

"James is fine, Charming is good; or dad, when you're ready for that. But please not David; he was a real schmuck."

Regina grew impatient, but Emma's hand on her thigh stilled her as the blonde processed the scene before speaking. "Okay then, Charming and Snow, may Regina state her terms?"

James cocked his head. "Snow's the one you need to talk to then; she's always been better than me at negotiating treaties." He firmly wrapped his arm around her shoulders as she leaned against his solid body.

Snow's eyes narrowed as she searched for trickery from the former Evil Queen. "Fine, you mentioned giving us your kingdom for three items; what are they?"

Regina leaned forward as she faced Snow. "First I do need a very small kingdom _here_, in this mine. Just the northern cell, which is behind bars."

"Why there?" James leaned forward and looked closer at the map.

"Because it's inside the Dwarven Mine where magic is inhibited and can't be used effectively." Regina disclosed.

"Okay, it's an odd request, but it sounds fair." Snow considered. "So you want just the northern cell in the Dwarven Mine."

"Yes, but we need to contain it so that the last foot near the bars are not in her kingdom." Emma nodded. "I know that sounds strange, but it's vital."

"You mentioned you had two other terms, what are they?" Snow shifted in her seat as Regina spoke.

"Yes, first I require full amnesty within your kingdom's borders. Forgiveness for my actions against you two, as well as against all of your subjects."

Snow was about to vehemently disagree with the request when James took her hand and squeezed it lovingly.

"Agreed." Said James. "You have freedom within our realm as well as being pardoned for all actions up to this point. For anything done in the future you will still be held fully accountable."

Regina nodded in agreement. "That is acceptable to me; what about you Snow?"

The woman's head snapped up. "I dislike that you will be given such leniency, but all things considered, I understand you want a fresh start, and I'm not opposed to giving you that."

Regina sighed as she realized that she was not forgiven; only pardoned. _I can't blame her after all I've done to her. _Despite the disappointment she felt at Snow's qualms she pressed forward. "Then the last thing I request is that Emma and I be given twenty-five acres of land _here_." She tapped the northern point in their realm. "It's surrounded by the sea on three sides and lies within your kingdom. It will officially belong to Emma and willed to Henry. This is where we would like to live." She smiled at Emma who returned the gentle expression as she took the Mayor's hand.

"Fine, but here are my terms for this arrangement." Mary Margaret spoke after giving the conditions some consideration. "First condition is you agree to never use magic."

"I have to be able to build defensive wards around our home." Regina protested.

"Defensive wards only; and they are contained exclusively to your property." David added.

Regina scowled at the terms. "How about I agree to only use magic on the twenty-five acres of our property? Any spell I want, any time I want as long as it is contained to that area. I have to keep my skills honed or I'll be seen as a target; as will Emma and Henry. None of us want that."

"That's true; fine I can live with that." Snow agreed. "Next term is that upon our passing, Emma becomes sole heir to our kingdom. You will have no claim over any of it. Once she dies, Henry becomes heir and again, you no longer have any claim even though he is your adopted son. In addition your title will change from Queen to Lady Regina."

Regina quickly agreed. "Smart move and I completely concur. I will have no claim on your kingdom."

Emma took her hand and smiled. "Lady Regina does have a nice ring to it."

Snow quickly considered the rest of her options; she knew that what happened now would have far reaching implications on the future. "One last thing I need to discuss; Emma you are the heir to the throne and Princess of our kingdom; is it your intention to remain with Regina once we return to the Realm?"

Emma softly nodded as she put her arm around the Mayor. "Henry, too, will stay with us."

Snow folded her hands in her lap. "Then, I insist that you consider marriage. It would be in poor form for our daughter to be living unwed with her lover and their son. Plus, by having Lady Regina become our daughter-in-law it would make sense that she would give us her kingdom as an endowment for the honor of marrying Princess Emma."

Emma and Regina looked at one another for a long moment before Regina quirked a questioning eyebrow. The blonde took a deep breath and then nodded at the brunette. Regina turned to James and spoke.

"King James, Queen Snow I would like to ask your permission for the honor of courting, with the full intention of marrying, your daughter Princess Emma. In exchange I would give you an endowment of my kingdom with the provisions we have previously discussed."

"Do we really need to be so formal?" Emma asked.

"Absolutely; it ensures that our agreement is a binding contract that will be recognized throughout the Realm." Regina explained as she turned her attention back to their guests.

James was the one to speak. "Lady Regina, you have our permission to court, with the full intention of marrying our daughter, Princess Emma. Your endowment is acceptable payment for the honor; and the provisions are also granted. Once we return to the Realm you will have six months' time to propose marriage or you will lose the right of courtship."

"Thank you; I accept your terms." Regina smiled. "Perhaps I could press my luck and ask for one more favor?"

"Just one?" Snow arched an eyebrow.

"I promise just one. As you know; besides Henry and Emma, there are only two other people in this town that I truly care about. I would like to request that both Michael and Rose each be given ownership of five acres of land adjacent to ours. I will retain Michael as my advisor and messenger so that I may properly rule over my very small kingdom; you will find that Rose is a valuable asset as both an herbalist and a healer."

Snow smiled sweetly as she answered. "Of course, we will make provisions for Michael and Rose to be your neighbors." Her expression turned more serious as she continued. "But, Lady  
Regina, I need to be clear that though you do have a small kingdom to reign over, that doesn't give you a seat on the Council of Rulers." She stared the Mayor in the eyes. "And rest assured should you ever try to extend the size of your kingdom we will defeat you without a moment's hesitation."

A spark lit in Regina's eyes. "I would expect nothing less of you."

James ran his thumb over the jewel encrusted scepter and considered. "Is there anything else we need to take with us once the curse is broken?"

"Nothing that I'm aware of; everything else should be there waiting for you. However, we have one more item of business to discuss; we have a mutual enemy in the Realm and we will need to act swiftly and decisively in order to contain him."

"Rumpelstiltskin." Snow spat out his name.

"Mr. Gold." James growled.

"Indeed." Regina confirmed with a sharp nod.

"As you know…" Regina began. "…Mr. Gold essentially owns the town of Storybrooke; unfortunately it means that many people are beholden to him in one way or another. He has also made deals that transcend the curse; I, unfortunately, have such a deal with him. In exchange for teaching me how to cast the dark curse, I am indebted to him. Anytime he says 'please' at the end of a sentence, I am forced to do whatever he requests."

Snow gave Regina a concerned look. "Do James or I have such a deal with him?"

Regina shook her head. "Not to my knowledge; the deal you made was to know how to save your baby daughter in exchange for giving him the knowledge of her name."

"So he probably figured out who Emma was the moment she drove into town." James realized.

"Probably, which is why he's been so keen to help her out; he wants the curse broken and he knows she's the key." Regina said firmly. "And he considers me an enemy, so he will never willingly release me from my debt."

Emma spoke up. "So we are planning to use me to trick him into relinquishing the deal."

"How?" Snow asked.

"Well, here's what we think would work." Emma explained the plan in detail to Snow and James. "Once he makes that deal with me, I can unbind Regina from her debt; we break the curse and he ends up being screwed. What do you two think?"

"It actually sounds like it might work; does Henry know your scheme, too?" Snow inquired about her grandson.

"We plan to tell him right before we carry it out." Regina relied. "He's only ten years old; I can't burden him with such a secret until it's actually happening. I don't want any chance that Mr. Gold could coerce anything out of Henry. "

"We'll make sure he's protected from Mr. Gold; you two just do your parts to get this curse broken so we can all return home." James promised.


	30. Chapter 30

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

A/N- Okay, many of you have mentioned that you wanted a more detailed account of Regina and Emma making love. I vacillated back and forth between wanting to write a decent (I hope) love scene and the fact of knowing my fifteen year old daughter (who lives on ) would eventually read the story. My wife and I agreed that this was a good compromise, lol

If you want to read this chapter, here it is

If you don't want the details- Chapter Thirty-one will be posted tomorrow.

As always, your reviews are like crack to me…so take a moment to tell me what you think.

Realm of Shadows

Chapter Thirty

Emma watched as James and Snow drove away in separate vehicles; they both turned left at the corner, even though David's house was to the right. _Guess he's following her; no surprise there, I'd be making up for lost time, too. _

Regina had gone upstairs to change into more casual clothing; she had felt it important to look more formal for their meeting, but now that it was over she was anxious to get into a pair of jeans and a simple turtleneck to relax and enjoy the rest of the day. The phone rang, interrupting Emma's thoughts. She found the remote receiver between the couch cushions and answered the call. "Hello?...oh hi Mrs. Peterson….I'm fine, thanks, how are you?...Sure, no problem…He just needs to be home by five for dinnertime…Great, thank you…Bye."

As Regina listened to Emma's side of the conversation a wicked smile graced her face. "Emma, dear." She sweetly called as she heard the blonde say 'goodbye' to Mrs. Peterson. "Would you mind coming up here?

"Um, sure, let me just put the phone on the charger, it's nearly dead." Emma walked into the kitchen and found the base. It was a gorgeous day, much too nice to be plotting any more devious plans. _Hopefully she'll think we're ready and won't insist on going over each detail again. _She wished as she slowly climbed the stairs and padded towards the master bedroom. It was empty when she opened the door. "Regina?"

"One minute, I'll be right out." She heard the Mayor call from the bathroom.

Emma sat on the edge of the bed, humming the chorus to the latest pop hit from the radio. When the door opened, her jaw dropped in shock at the vision before her.

Regina leaned against the doorframe wearing just a crimson negligée and black pumps. Emma felt her clit throb when Regina's sultry low voice murmured. "I understand we have the whole afternoon alone…"

Emma swallowed hard, unable to take her eyes off of the brunette. Regina's lingerie barely covered her voluptuous breasts; the nipples were hard under the tight bodice.

"Sheriff Swan, you seem to be overdressed." The brunette purred as she sauntered towards Emma, slowly taking in every inch of the tall blonde. Emma's hands instinctively reached out and settled on Regina's hips. "I think…" Regina ran her fingers down Emma's throat to the top of her t-shirt. "We need to do something about that." With one hand she tugged on the bottom of the shirt and pulled it out of Emma's tight jeans; her other hand roamed down between the blonde's legs and slowly pressed against Emma's center. She watched as Emma's green eyes dilated and her breathing quickened at the touch. "Do you like that?" All Emma could manage was a nod.

Regina pulled the white t-shirt over the Sheriff's head, leaving just her tank top as a barrier between her and her goal. She ran her hands over Emma's breasts, gently squeezing them until she felt her lover's nipples harden at her touch. She pushed Emma back to lie on the bed before unzipping the jeans and tugging them down; Emma lifted her hips to help free the jeans.

"So beautiful." Regina whispered as she ran a finger over Emma's satin thong. She let her hand roam over the material, finding the panties soaked. "So wet for me." She sighed. Her patience was running low as she felt her own clit throbbing for attention. As the brunette straddled the Sheriff's hips, Emma tried to reach up to touch Regina's breasts; her hand was batted away. "Lie still." Regina ordered.

The brunette reveled in the wetness she felt between her own legs as her arousal grew. "Take off your shirt." Emma quickly complied; her pert breasts now hardened in anticipation of Regina's touch. Regina could feel the friction of material against her swollen folds as she pressed harder against the Sheriff's body. She leaned over, putting a hand on each side of Emma's body. Her soft hair brushed against the blonde's throat as she lowered her head and took Emma's left nipple into her mouth.

Emma moaned as she wrapped her arms around Regina, pulling her in; her hips bucked as she felt the woman tease her nipple with her lips and teeth. Regina took her right hand and roughly twisted Emma's nipple, causing another tremor to course through the Sheriff's body and down to her core. Emma began rocking in a rhythmic motion, trying to press her center harder against the brunette's taut pelvis. Regina matched the rhythm and pressed down as the blonde pushed up. Emma could feel her pussy swell as her juices soaked her panties. "Please, Regina." She begged.

Regina gave each nipple a final kiss as she rose up to once again straddle the Sheriff's hips. Emma watched, her eyes fully dilated in arousal as the brunette pulled the lingerie off of her body and let it drop to the floor beside the bed. The Mayor began to massage her own breasts, feeling them become firm in her hands. She rolled off of Emma, causing the blonde to whimper at the loss of contact. "Move up." She nodded towards the head of the bed. Emma twisted her body towards the headboard. She was rewarded by the quick removal of her now soaked thong. She sighed as Regina smelled the wet material and licked the juices that permeated the slick satin. "I love your taste, Emma." Regina said as she knelt down between the Sheriff's legs.

Emma felt the Mayor's fingers as they brushed over her soft, wet curls. "Oh God, Regina." Her hips rose to meet the brunette's touch. She jumped when her lover found her swollen clit and rubbed it momentarily. "Please." She begged for release.

Regina lowered her head between Emma's legs and breathed in the smell that was uniquely Emma. "Patience, my love." She kissed the inside of the blonde's thighs as she continued to tease her clit. She felt her own juices soaking her silky negligée bottoms. Finally, she searched for and found Emma's entrance. The blonde was so wet that she didn't need to worry about hurting her as she slowly slid two fingers into her core. "So tight for me." She murmured, adding a third finger as she slid in and out, each time thrusting deeper into the blonde. "Oh fuck, Regina." Emma felt a small release before the pressure started to rebuild in her core.

The brunette slowly wiggled her fingers inside of Emma's tight pussy, knowing the action would drive the blonde crazy. "Touch my clit." The Sheriff begged. Regina gladly complied by lowering her mouth to Emma's pussy; her fingers remained buried inside of the blonde as she licked and sucked on the swollen bud.

"Touch your breasts." The brunette ordered between breaths. As she returned to her ministrations, she watched the blonde twist her own nipples. The sight of Emma in full arousal was almost enough to send Regina over the edge. She removed her fingers from Emma's slit, hearing the blonde sob in protest. Regina reached down between her own legs, pushing the material aside as she rubbed her own clit. She quickened her own rhythm as she felt the release building between her legs. Her throbbing intensified as she firmly and quickly rubbed herself to an orgasm. Her own hips bucked under her hand as she felt the wave of release. Emma watched as her lover came; her own excitement heightened as she felt the tremors shake Regina's body. Regina slowly licked each her three fingers, tasting both Emma and herself on them. "Now, you will come for me."

She slid the three fingers back inside of Emma, feeling the walls of Emma's pussy tighten as she stroked her in and out, over and over until Emma was so swollen that Regina could barely move her hand. She once again returned her mouth to Emma clit and pressed her face against the swollen blonde pussy. Emma grabbed onto the sheets as she felt the wave building. "Fuck me, Regina." She cried as she felt the Mayor suck harder on her clit. Her hips rose as she felt the orgasm rip through her body; four waves of release crashed down on her as Regina pressed her face harder against her pussy and continued to suck on her clit. Finally she was sated and laid her hand on the top of the brunette's hair to let her know she was done.

Regina stilled as she felt the pressure on her head; it was tempting to give one last nip or suck to Emma's nub, but she knew the blonde was probably too sore for it to bring her any pleasure. Instead, she slid up and laid next to the lover.

"You're amazing." Emma sighed as she finally felt her body calm; she turned to face Regina. "However, it seems you are the one who's overdressed now." She smirked as she noted that her girlfriend was still wearing the thin bottoms of her lingerie. She reached an arm down and played with the lacy hem as she kissed Regina's shoulder and throat.

"That can be fixed." Regina purred as she slid the material over her hips and gracefully kicked the panties to the floor.

"Much better." Emma laid her leg on top of Regina's. The Mayor could feel the heat emanating from the blonde's core. "Now…" Emma teased one of the brunette's nipples until it became firm. "What to do with you?"

Regina gave a low, sultry laugh. "Anything you want, my dear." She licked her lips as she felt the blonde's hand reach lower, finally settling between her legs.

"Oh, so wet." Emma's nostrils flared as she touched the brunette's folds that were drenched with her juices. She slid her fingers up and down the center, hitting Regina's clit with each upward stroke. Each time, she brushed against it, she felt Regina's hips buck.

"You are such a tease." The brunette breathlessly moaned as she wrapped one arm around the blonde and clawed into her fair skin. Emma could feel the pleasurable pain that the Mayor's nails inflicted on her back. She changed her angle and slowly slid three fingers inside the brunette. "Yes…" was all Regina was able to cobble together.

She quickened her pace, knowing the Mayor was close to another orgasm; Regina reached down with her right hand and began to vigorously rub her own clit. Her stomach clenched and her body tightened as she felt the wave of pleasure rip through her. Emma was unrelenting; continuing to thrust inside of Regina even once the brunette had stilled. It didn't take long before another orgasm flooded through the Mayor. Finally, Emma slowly withdrew her hand and sucked each digit clean. She splayed her hand over the Mayor's stomach as they cuddled together.

"I love you." Regina kissed Emma's forehead. "I'm going to miss you so much."

Emma rubbed small circles on the brunette's abdomen. "Me too; three days apart is too long. Plus I hate that we have to fight; even if it is pretend, it makes me sad."

"Hmmm, well if we succeed, it will be worth the pain." Regina promised.

"Not if, my love…when." Emma assured the brunette.


	31. Chapter 31

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

**Chapter Thirty-one**

The family of three entered the busy diner during the suppertime rush; every table and booth was filled with citizens of Storybrooke. Emma smiled and waved at the patrons while Regina's patience grew thinner by the second. "You'd think the Mayor of the town wouldn't have to _wait _for a table." She groused loudly, causing a shadow of fear to cross diners that were within earshot of her comment.

One young couple quickly stood, though their meal wasn't finished. "Here, you can have our table; we were just done eating." The man's ruddy face was an unhealthy pallor of white. Regina began to walk to the table before Emma pulled her back.

"Thanks, Sean, but we can wait like everyone else." Emma assured him as Regina huffed in irritation. "Regina, we can come back another time." The blonde pleaded with the angry Mayor.

"_Oh no_." The brunette replied emphatically. "_You_ chose to eat here over having a home cooked meal at the house; I'll be damned if I'm cooking anything for you tonight. I'ts Granny's; take it or leave it."

"Fine." Emma tried to smile through her embarrassment at the Mayor's loud scolding. "We'll wait." Her pleading eyes caught Ruby's, causing the waitress to ignore the food waiting in the heating bin and instead clean a now vacant table. She waved the party over as quickly as possible.

Ruby quickly served them their waters and handed out their menus. "I'll be back as soon as possible to take your orders." She promised as she eyed the growing stack of prepared food that was waiting to be handed out to other patrons.

Emma watched as the waitress scurried and served out all of the food before returning, nearly breathless, to their table. Ruby smiled as broadly as she could muster; hiding the tiny bit of fear that the Mayor's presence always seemed to bring out in her. "Okay, everyone ready to order?" She asked a little too brightly.

Emma smiled and handed her the menu. "Yeah, I'll have the chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy; with French fries, no wait, deep fried mushrooms and ranch sauce for my veggie. Oh, and two dinner rolls with butter, please."

"Actually…" Regina cut in. "Emma and I will both have the salad with lemon juice, baked chicken breast, green beans, and…" she added pointedly. "…no rolls." She gave the waitress a hard stare, daring Ruby to defy her.

Ruby quickly scribbled out Emma's original order and wrote down the new one. She continued writing as Regina barked Henry's order to her. "Henry will have the fried chicken, onion rings, and a large chocolate malt." Her son's eyes grew wide as he heard her order his fantasy meal; something she had steadfastly refused to do in the past.

"What the hell?" Emma protested a little too loudly, drawing stares from the nearby diners. "You can't decide what I eat!" She hissed.

The Mayor simply placed her paper napkin carefully on her lap and looked blankly at the Sheriff. "Emma, it's bad enough you wanted to eat here tonight, but I refuse to let you fill your body with a plateful of grease and starches. That's quite enough protest from you." She said with finality.

"Screw you, Regina. I can order whatever the hell I feel like." She stood, taking her red leather jacket from the back of her chair and swung it over her shoulder. "I am _so_ done with you and your need to be a control freak." She snarled at the impassive brunette, noting the confusion and touch of fear in Henry's eyes.

Regina's voice betrayed her indifference as it cracked with anger. "Sit your ass down, Miss Swan." She noticed that the entire diner was now watching their heated exchange. "We will eat like civilized people and discuss this when we get home."

"The hell we will! I'm out of here." Emma stormed towards the doorway, slamming the door on her way out. Immediately the chatter and gossip began in hushed tones, irritating the Mayor further. "Henry." She snapped. "Grab your jacket, we're going home." He begrudgingly followed her. As they neared the door she looked around the restaurant, pinning the gossipers with an icy glare. She, too, slammed the door behind her to emphasize her displeasure.

She squealed the tires of her Mercedes as she and Henry pulled quickly away from the curb. In the darkness, illuminated only by the lights of the dashboard she heard, rather than saw, her son crying. They pulled into the driveway of the impressive white Mayor's mansion. Neither made a move to get out of the car, even once Regina had turned off the engine. "Henry." She spoke softly, ashamed for making her son cry. "I need you to listen carefully." He turned his head towards her, confused by the evening's turn of events.

"I thought you and Emma loved each other." His voice cracked as he spoke with sadness.

"Oh, sweetie, we do." She reached over and kissed his head. "I'm so sorry we couldn't tell you before, but this is part of our plan for breaking the curse." Her heart ached at his tears.

"How?" She could hear the hope mixed with pain in his tone.

"We had to get people to witness a fight, so Mr. Gold would believe we had broken up. Granny's was the most public place we could think of." She admitted.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because we had to make sure that the argument seemed as authentic as possible, including your response. I'm sorry we had to use you like that."

"So, you and Emma aren't really mad at each other?" He let her wipe the tears from his cheeks.

"No, sweetie, we're not; but Emma's going to have to be gone for a couple days. I promise though, that she will return and we will be one step closer to breaking the curse. Let's go inside; there's a lot to talk about." They opened their respective car doors before she added an afterthought. "You need to try to look sad till we are inside." He nodded his head and gave her a mischievous smile. She returned it with a knowing wink before they headed towards the house.

Across town, the bell tinkled as the door to the shop was opened. "Store's closed." The shopkeeper automatically responded before looking up to see a very pissed off Emma Swan. He stood behind the counter, polishing a pair of Sais; the surprise at her appearance was well masked from years of practice. "Sheriff Swan, what, may I ask, brings you to my shop tonight?" He graced her with a humored expression.

"I need help; unfortunately you're the only one who can give it to me." She was unable to keep the bitterness out of her voice.

"Well, with a greeting like that, you must be curious why I'm not leaping for joy; seems you could just run to your precious Regina for help." His lips narrowed in distaste at saying the woman's name.

"No, not for this; I'm done with her, with this town, everything; everything but Henry. I need to get out of town with him. But, more importantly I need to make sure she can never control him or me again." Her eyes snapped with vengeance.

"Doesn't seem like anything is stopping you from leaving with him; and you know quite well nobody can follow you." He teased.

She rolled her eyes at his words. "Because of the _curse_?" She mockingly air quoted the word.

"Miss Swan, you obviously are wasting my time; you have nothing of interest to offer me, and you have no idea how I can help you in return." His anger flared as he brandished the Sais menacingly.

Emma tilted her chin up in defiance. "Actually…" She pulled a photo out of her pocket. "I think I do have something for you to consider." She slid the photo across the countertop to Mr. Gold. "I can find him."

He glanced at the photo before tossing it back to her, careful to hide his grief. "The Gypsy Agnes can find him too, if I'm ever interested in seeing my son again." He tried to keep his tone evenly measured.

"Who the hell do you think sent her this picture?" She laughed sharply as she picked up the photo.

He briefly considered her words before excusing himself. She watched as he limped to the telephone; his voice was too soft for her to make out the actual words, but he hung up the phone and returned to her with a challenge.

"Very well, Agnes admits now that an anonymous person sent her the photo; Miss Swan tread carefully here. If you can give me the correct details about the package, then I believe we can make a deal. But, if you fail then know that I will never again trust a word you say. That may seem inconsequential to you, but trust me, it would be a great detriment to you in the future. So, if you are bluffing, walk away; we can forget this whole conversation ever happened."

Emma never hesitated or waivered as she replied. "The photo of your boy, Baelfire and his son, Paul, came in a five by seven manila envelope; there were three markings on the package. First, the return address was done in black ink, all capital letters reading 'Bringer of Truth'. Secondly, the addressee was Mrs. Agnes B. Zagrakowski; a name known only to a handful of citizens here in Storybrooke. Lastly, there was an ink drawing of a dagger with a wavy blade; on the blade was written the name Rumplestiltskin. Baelfire drew that himself in order to prove that the photo was legit. Shall I go on?"

The pawnbroker was visibly shaken. The gypsy hadn't shown him the envelope, but now his heart ached to touch the drawing that his son had sketched; even if it was of the dastardly dagger. "No, that will be sufficient Sheriff." He gathered his composure. "Do you think you can convince him to come to Storybrooke?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "He's interested in seeing you in, and I quote him, 'a world without magic'." I could have him here in two days.

"Do you think he would bring my grandson with him?" He asked eagerly.

"Probably, after all he named Paul after you" She smirked.

"Then do make haste, Miss Swan, I am anxious to see my boy again." He urged her.

"Not so fast, Mr. Gold; you seem to have forgotten that I am doing this for _my_ boy. I need a hell of a deal to be persuaded to leave him for two days, just so _you_ can have a family reunion."

He tapped his cane on the cement floor. "Well played, Miss Swan; what are you asking for?"

She bided her time before speaking. "I've seen you exert some sort of control over the Mayor; I want that power."

He shook his head. "I have no idea what you are referring to, Miss Swan."

Her voice grew firm. "Mr. Gold, I am tired of her thinking she is in control of Henry, of me, of everyone in this damned town. Even when I leave with my son, as long as she is here on this earth, I will never be free. The only way I can guarantee that the bitch can't ever have any say in my life again is if I have the upper hand. You have that power; I need it."

He had the decency to act sorrowful. "I do wish I could help you, Emma; but I can't just _give _that power away. After all, it's the main reason I still have control of this town."

Emma realized that the deal was slowly slipping from her grasp. She warred with herself before deciding to go all in. "Yeah, I get it; even the chance to meet up with your son pales with your need to have power."

"It's an unfortunate truth." He agreed.

"Perhaps this photo will ring a bell?" She slid a black and white picture across the counter. This time he stared hard at the image, but did not return the photo.

"Belle." He whispered, barely loud enough for the blonde's ears to hear. He turned to the Sheriff, his expression dark and full of fury. "Tell me." He ordered. "Where did you find this?"

She gave him a mirthless laugh. "Do you really have to ask?" She reached for the picture but he snatched it closer to his body. "Fine, I ran across it in Regina's study; I'd never seen the girl before in Storybrooke, so I asked Regina about her. All she would say is that the girl was worth her weight in gold."

"Can you find her?" His voice was full of hope.

"Mr. Gold, finding people is what I do; but you know the price. Take it or leave it."

He stared again at the raven haired girl before agreeing. "Fine, we have a deal. You bring my son to me and find the girl; I'll give you the power to control Regina."

"I wish I could take you at your word, Mr. Gold, but I think you know I need that in writing." She brandished a pen and handed it to the man. "And make sure it's valid; Regina needs to know that I own her ass."

Emma watched as he carefully tucked the photo of the girl into his breast pocket; he then set to the task of writing the agreement. Once he finished, he signed it with a flourish. "There you are Miss Swan."

She took the paper and carefully examined it like Regina had taught her to do. All of the binding marks and symbols of the contract looked correct. He had even signed his name backwards; one of the binding touches of the agreement that Regina had drilled into Emma's head to ensure the deal would be legitimate in both this world and in the Realm.

Emma signed her name also, adding the symbol of acceptance after her name. She nodded at the man. "I'll be back in two days with your son."

"And the girl?" He reminded her.

"And the girl." She agreed.

She left the shop and headed back to Snow's apartment; James's car was parked out front, causing her to hesitate before entering the home. She loudly opened the door and announced her presence. _Please God, don't let them be having sex._

She was relieved to find them at the kitchen table; they both rose as she entered the room. "Emma." Snow pulled the blonde into a tight hug. "How did it go?"

"Well Regina and I had one very convincing fight." She laughed. "Have you heard from her at all?"

James nodded. "Henry called over here looking for you; he said they had a very interesting talk. Snow invited him over for breakfast tomorrow under the pretense of trying to help convince you to stay in town."

"It's all very cloak and daggerish." Emma complained.

"Trust us, Emma." Snow leveled her with a serious look. "It has to be this way. Rumplestiltskin has eyes and ears everywhere in this town. If he catches on that it's just a ruse, there's no telling the damage he will do."

"I know." Emma flopped on the couch. "I just…I miss Regina and Henry already."

"Sweetheart." James came and sat by his daughter's feet. "Your mom and I know all about lengthy separations. You can do this, for all of us; we need you to be strong."

She sighed, knowing he was right. "Then I best get a good night's sleep; I trust you both to take care of Henry and Regina while I'm gone."

James patted her on the leg. "Absolutely."

She begrudgingly stood and walked towards her old bedroom. "Thank you, both. I'll see you in the morning, I hope."

Emma lay in bed, unable to sleep; at first it was her racing thoughts that kept her awake, but in time she realized that had grown used to sleeping with another body in her bed. She tossed and turned, wincing occasionally when pain shot through her shoulder. _Fuck it, I should just call her. _Reason won out over emotion though, and she never dialed the number.

Regina stared at her cell phone for the hundredth time; alternating between waiting for it to ring and wanting to make the call herself. _Forty-eight hours; I can do this. _She tried to harden her heart, protecting it from the pain and loneliness that had crept in when she tried to sleep that night. The bed was suddenly too big, and she tossed and turned trying to get comfortable. She snuggled the pillow that Emma always used, finding comfort in the scent of the blonde that remained on the pillowcase.

_Tomorrow. Maybe I'll have a chance to see her when I drop off Henry. _She knew that they wouldn't be able to speak, let alone touch, if they did see one another. _Damn that imp. _But the knowledge that she might have a glimpse of blonde hair and green eyes was enough to let her fall into a dreamless sleep.


	32. Chapter 32

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

Chapter Thirty-two

It had been a late night for Mr. Gold; between the cameras he had installed around the town, and his own skulking about, he had been able to confirm that the conflict between Emma and Regina was genuine. _Now her Highness will finally get her comeuppance. _He mused as he lightly touched the photo of his love, Belle. _Serves the bitch right; she'll never know what hit her._

He watched from the bushes as David, shoulders slumped in rejection, shuffled away from Mary Margaret's apartment. The teacher had stood in the doorway, her sweater tightly wrapped around her body as she hugged herself and cried. _Oh yes, the Charmings, oblivious as ever. _His nose twitched in amusement at watching the pain etched on both of their faces.

A slow drive past the Mayor's manor proved to be no surprise to the shopkeeper. All of the lights, save the ones in Regina study, were dark; a silhouette of the brunette pouring herself another glass of cider was illuminated through the window shade. _In two days time, your Majesty, I shall have my family and you will lose yours. _He couldn't help but add the _tee-hee _laugh at the end of his thought. As he drove to the gypsy's house, his mind was filled with glee at both the coming destruction of Regina, and his fortuitous agreement with the Sheriff. _At least we will be on good terms when the curse breaks; perhaps her family will spare me some land for a kingdom. _He began to mentally draw up the deal he would be willing to make for such an agreement. The gypsy welcomed him into her home, and they sat by the fire as they celebrated their coup.

"Is the gossip true then?" She asked with a mirthful laugh. "The Sheriff really left the Mayor sitting in the diner?"

"Oh yes." He assured her. "Amazing how many of our fellow citizens were eager to share the details of the story with me; I only wish I had been there to witness it myself."

She took another long sip of her tea. "Tell me then, the curse will be broken soon? And I shall have my agreed upon terms in the new Realm? Twenty-eight years of friendship and tea should count for something, Rumple."

"Don't worry Agnes; you will be well compensated for all you have done for me here."

She mused thoughtfully. "You already have your kingdom then?"

He shook his head slowly. "No, but I will; one way or another I shall be King Rumplestiltskin."

She clinked her cup with his. "Then a toast to you, your Highness."

The Walkie talkie beeped, startling Regina out of her thoughts. "Hello." She quietly answered.

"It's me. Did you see him?" Snow asked.

"No, but I felt him." She answered as she poured out the glass of cheap wine she had filled for his show. "He left after about fifteen minutes of watching me."

"He was here too; I had to channel my inner passiveness to put on my act; as did Charming."

"Then we are on for the morning?"

"Yes, see you at eight."

Regina waited for the final transmission before setting the radio down on her desk. They had determined that the Walkie talkies were the safest way to communicate; Regina had already found the bug in her phone at the office, she was certain that Mr. Gold was behind it, so she was reluctant to discuss anything of importance over the telephone.

Emma awoke at seven forty-five, and, eager to get on with the task at hand, she rolled out of bed and padded to the bathroom for a shower. Snow heard the water turn on upstairs as she busied herself making pancake batter and fresh squeezed orange juice. The shower water turned off five minutes later. _Be strong, Emma. _She silently willed her bullheaded daughter. The next fifteen minutes were critical in convincing Mr. Gold that nothing was afoot.

Precisely at eight o'clock the doorbell rang. Snow took a deep breath and tried her best to look like Mary Margaret. _Meek and weak. _She reminded herself as she opened the door to Regina and Henry.

Regina had worked hard to look her worst. Dressed in a pair of black jeans and burgundy turtleneck, she would have been the vision of loveliness if not for the dark circles under her desolate eyes and her slightly out of place hair. She even intentionally chipped one of her well manicured nails to look and feel more miserable.

"Miss Blanchard." The Mayor's icy gaze fell upon her and Snow had to remind herself that it was all an act. She looked away from the harsh glare and focused on Henry, who, for his part, truly looked forlorn.

"Please…" She cleared her soft voice. "Come in."

It was all Regina could do to maintain her aloofness as she stepped into the apartment and spied Emma's red leather jacket hanging on the coat rack. "Miss Blanchard, we don't have all day, but Henry is convinced that you, of all people, might know how to convince Emma to stay in Storybrooke; even if it isn't with me."

"I've just cooked some breakfast." The teacher murmured. "Would you like some pancakes?"

Henry's pleading eyes fell on his mother's. "Please, Mom; we have to convince her to stay."

Regina gave a sharp nod and stepped further into the apartment, so that the teacher could close the door.

"Over here." Snow directed them to a windowless corner of the room. "If Gold's out there watching, he can't see us at the table."

"He's out there." Regina confirmed. "I saw his empty car parked down the street, and I felt his presence as I stepped into your yard."

Henry scampered into a chair and began to pile the hotcakes on his plate. A well placed throat clearing from his mother stopped him mid-motion. He glanced at her disapproving look and sat the hotcake back on the serving platter. "Act or not, you will still have the good manners I raised you with."

"Yeah, sorry Mom." He answered contritely.

Regina gave him a small smile to assure him he was not in trouble.

"Madame Mayor, would you like some coffee or tea?"

"Snow, just call me Regina. He may be watching, but I assure you he can't hear us; Emma already checked for hidden microphones on your premises. And I would love some black coffee."

Snow poured the hot brew into three cups before setting the pot back in the coffeemaker. Henry didn't notice, but Regina gave her a questioning look. "Just wait." Snow whispered.

Regina never noticed Emma until she popped up, unseen from outside, next to the breakfast table. The blonde gave Snow a guilty look. "I couldn't stay away."

"You crawled to the table?" Regina looked in amazement at the blonde; it was as if Emma had single-handedly slain an evil Griffin.

"Pretty much, yeah." Emma admitted to the brunette.

Snow slid a cup of coffee over to the empty chair next to the Mayor and smirked. "I figured you'd manage to show up; you might as well eat some breakfast before our next performance." The foursome ate silently, though Emma and Regina's touches spoke volumes between them.

"Alright, time for act three." Snow stated as she stood and began to clear the table. "Henry, why don't you help me clean up." He began to protest before he saw the pleading look in both of his moms' eyes. He wrinkled his nose as he turned away from their kissing.

Snow laughed at her grandson's antics. "Trust me, Henry, someday you will understand." She said as she busied herself at the sink, making sure her back was turned to the women.

"I love you." Emma said as she kissed Regina's pale lips.

"I love you too." Regina softly replied, brushing back a strand of blonde hair from Emma's face.

"Be strong." The Sheriff kissed the brunette again.

Tears began to spill from both of their eyes.

"Okay, Emma, time to go." Snow regretfully announced. Emma gave her lover one last soft kiss before she dropped to her knees and crawled across the floor to the staircase. She stood and took a deep breath to prepare for the next performance. She gave Regina a quick apologetic look as she grabbed her duffle bag and stormed towards the door.

"What the hell, Mary Margaret?" She yelled loudly. "I thought you were my friend."

"I am, Emma." The teacher tried to convince the irate blonde.

"Well you sure have a hell of a way to show it." She opened the door as she grabbed her red jacket. "If you think inviting _her_ into your home is a way of being _my_ friend, then I need better friends."

"Emma, wait; I'm sorry." Mary Margaret stood in the doorway, watching the blonde storm away.

"I've got shit to do; I don't have time for this." Emma slammed her car door. _Sorry Bertha. _She apologized to the VW as the engine roared to life and she spun gravel pulling away.

Snow shook her head and closed the door. It may have all been an act, but she had to admit that her feelings were a little worse for wear at the harsh words that her daughter had spoken. Regina patted the empty seat next to her. "You two did well; even I was worried it was a real fight." She gave the younger woman an empathetic smile.

"She'll come back, right?" Henry wasn't so convinced it was just an act.

"She'll come back." Both women assured him.

Mr. Gold watched from the bushes across the street as the Mayor, with a tear-streaked face, and Henry left the apartment. The boy had stopped in the yard piquing the shopkeeper's curiosity. He watched as Henry yanked away from Regina and ran back inside the apartment. Regina looked helpless as Mary Margaret seemed to be negotiating with the brunette; suddenly the Mayor shook her head and walked away, crestfallen at Henry's abandonment. _Ah, how the mighty have fallen; even evil queens cannot control their children anymore. _He slunk back further into the greenery, ensuring he was well hidden as the Mayor pulled away in her black Mercedes.

Regina pulled her luxury car next to the curb by Rose's shop; if anyone could help comfort her in Emma's absence, it would be the healer. "Regina." Rose looked up as the Mayor entered the shop. "Oh dear, are you alright?" She escorted the Mayor to the small table and fetched some herbs that needed bundling. "What on earth has happened? Did you and Emma really come to blows in the diner last night?" The concern was etched on the older woman's face.

The last question caused Regina to give a sharp laugh. "Is that what the town gossips are saying now?"

Rose nodded. "Mrs. Anderson dropped by quite early this morning. She was more than happy to give me all the sordid details of your fight." She inspected the Mayor's face and hands closely. "Odd, there are no bruises or scratches. I take it the reports are over exaggerated?" She asked as she worked on the fresh basil.

Regina took a fistful of lavender and began to separate the flowers from the stalks as she gathered her thoughts. Rose worked and watched patiently, knowing that when the brunette was ready to talk, she would.

Finally, Rose stood and locked the door to her shop, flipping the sign to 'closed' as she walked away. "Come with me to my shed; I found something most curious the other day." She gestured for Regina to leave the herbs and follow her outside. Rose led her into the wooden shack and uncovered a metal plate on the ground. "First, do you know how to open it?"

Regina inspected the cover and then nodded. She glanced around the shed and found the three items that she needed to break the seal. The red-handled broom, the yellow shovel and the green secateurs were gathered together. Regina wrapped a bit of wild ivy around the handles and tapped the metal plate five times. They could hear the gear grinding as the magical seal was broken. Regina set the tools aside and pulled on the cover, which opened to expose a ladder leading to a tunnel. "Seems you have a bolt hole, Rose."

"A what, dear?" The healer looked confused.

Regina just shrugged. "A quick escape if you need to hide from angry mobs." She smirked at the though of the healer pissing off the town's people to the point of needing to escape. "I have one in my study, too; under my desk, and one in my bedroom. I can never be too careful."

"Where does it lead?" Rose asked as she peered into the darkness below.

"I don't know." Regina admitted honestly. "I've never been to keen on being in a dark hole." She confessed as she closed the lid and banged the tools on it again. The gear rumbled and then stopped. "Now you know how to open and shut it." Regina stated as she unbound the tools and returned them to their proper places. "Is there somewhere safe to talk?"

Rose nodded and brought the Mayor back inside the house. They walked upstairs and sat in Rose's private parlor. "Emma was kind enough to volunteer to search my home for any devices that might be used for surveillance. She claimed it was a routine Sheriff's Department service, and she assured me that I was bug free." She poured them each a cup of hot tea and prepared a plate of Regina's favorite cookies. "Here, these might cheer you up." She offered the treats to the Mayor. Regina's lip twitched with amusement before her expression turned sorrowful.

"Rose." Regina finally broke her silence. "Do you have anything to cure a broken heart?"

"Oh dear." She nibbled on her cookie and braced herself for Regina's story of heartbreak. Her motherly instinct quickly arose. _If Emma hurt one hair on my girl's head, I'll personally put nightshade in her next cup of coffee._

"Emma's gone." Regina stated plainly. "And I miss her so much my heart aches."

"Gone? Where? For how long?" Questions poured out of Rose.

"It's not what you think, Rose. Let me explain everything."

Instead of continuing her story, Regina handed the healer a simple brooch and encouraged her to pin it on. A wave of recollection washed over Rose as the missing memories from her life in the previous realm filled her head. She gasped for breath as her mind and heart remembered her life before Storybrooke. "Regina?" She looked questioningly at the brunette.

"Do you remember now?" The Mayor curiously asked.

"Yes." Rose whispered. "I remember everything."

"I'm sorry I couldn't warn you of the effect." Regina apologized.

"No, it's fine; it was just like being tumbled in the ocean for a moment there." Rose shook her head to clear it. "All better now; the dizziness is gone."

Regina gave the healer a moment to sip some tea before telling her of the plan. "So Emma is going to find Baelfire and Belle."

"How will you avoid Mr. Gold in the meantime? All he has to do is say _please_ and you won't be able to keep the plan a secret." She realized the jeopardy that Regina posed.

"I'll have to hide." The Mayor admitted. "Somewhere he can't find me."

Rose gasped, causing Regina to look at her in concern. "Regina, I know it won't be easy for you, but the answer is right below my shed floor."

Regina quickly considered the bolt hole and shook off her fear. "Yes." She smiled at the healer. "That will work." She rattled off a list of items she needed and tasks to do before she could disappear for two days. "I'll be back in half an hour. Keep your shop closed and let no one, especially Mr. Gold, inside." She gave the healer a heartfelt hug before letting the mask of indifference slide over her features. "Showtime, Rose." She said flatly.

True to her word, Regina pulled up at Rose's shop twenty-five minutes later. "Michael…" She spoke on her cell phone to her assistant. "I'm sorry to wake you on a Sunday, but I won't be at work for the next two days….Oh, I should have known you would have heard about the fight…No, we're not alright, Emma's left town….I just need to be alone right now….yes, cancel all my meetings and appointments….just tell Sydney he'll have to do the interview another time...Michael, if Emma calls please let me know…Thank you, I knew I could count on you…I will, you take care of yourself, too." She hung up the cell phone and slid it into her purse. She careful pressed the button on the radio that lay on the passenger seat. She waited just a few seconds before she heard the beep that the indicated the line was open.

"The pawn can move; the keeper is in the shop." Henry answered in code, letting Regina know that Mr. Gold wasn't lying in wait.

"Roger that." Regina replied, feeling a little silly for using the CB slang.

"See you on the flip-side. Over and out." Henry answered, ending the short conversation.

She glanced around to ensure that nobody was watching her before she exited her car with the overnight bag in tow. She locked the Mercedes and knocked on Rose's door. The healer appeared and let her in. "The bolt hole is open; I stocked it with some food and water for you, as well as a bottle of apple cider that you gave me as a gift last summer."

"Thank you, Rose." Regina quickly replied. "I'm sorry to have to inconvenience you like this. Are you sure that you can stand up to Mr. Gold if he comes looking for me?" The Mayor's eyes flickered with concern.

"Regina Marie Mills, don't you _ever_ forget that I held my own with Cora for over forty years. Dealing with the little imp doesn't scare me one bit."

All doubt vanished from Regina's eyes when she realized the healer was right. Mr. Gold was an alter boy compared to the evilness that was her mother. "Thank you." She hugged the healer. "For everything; then… and now."

"Go quickly, Regina; I'm sure he'll be looking for you soon." She broke off the hug and touched the brunette's face. "Take the tools with you to lock yourself in."

"Here's the Walkie talkie in case you need to contact Snow or Henry." Regina offered her the radio.

"No, keep it; it's best if I have no evidence of being your accomplice. It's easier to lie if he has no proof. Besides, maybe it works down there." She indicated the bolt hole.

"I don't think it will, but I'll keep it just the same." Regina conceded. "Just be very careful, Rose."

The healer waved her off. "I've always been careful Regina; but now I'll be truly prepared."

The Mayor nodded and headed to the wooden shed. The healer's words of "Be strong, you can do this, little one." Echoed in her ears.

"_Where is she?" Cora demanded of her husband. _

"_I don't know, dear." The fear in his voice was not for himself, but for his daughter. When her mother found her, he was certain the punishment would be severe._

_She glared at him before turning away. "Fine, if that little tramp wants to play hide and seek, I'll just have to play along. Fetch me my horse, Henry." She demanded of the short man._

"_Please, Cora, she's only fourteen; she's too young to understand how important the vase was to you. It was just a vase…"_

"_That…" She snapped. "Is irrelevant. She not only broke my vase, but she hid it from me." Her fury twisted her face into an ugly sneer. "Open the cellar, Henry. She needs to be taught a lesson."_

_It took Cora less than half an hour to find her daughter cowering in the forest. She approached the shaking child, towering over her from the saddle of her steed. "Did you really think you could hide from me?" She mocked the teenager. "Get up." She allowed the girl to stand before she cast the binding spell that wrapped the ropes around her daughter's hands. She took the other end of the rope and tied it to her saddle. "I hope you can run, dear. I'd hate for you to fall behind." She stated as she clicked for her horse to walk. _

_Once they were clear of the forest, Cora pressed her horse into a slow trot. "Please, mother." Regina begged as she felt her legs turning to jelly at the quickening pace she was forced to maintain. "I'm sorry, please…" _

_Cora took a deep pleasure in hearing the begging from the breathless girl. 'Let her beg for mercy; she should know by now that I have none.' She thought as she urged her horse into a faster trot. "Keep up or fall behind, my dear." The horse looked back at the girl, confusion shining in the steed's eyes._

_Regina managed to run until the last turn towards home when her mother kicked the horse into a gallop. She was pulled behind, her feet dragging, hitting every bump and pothole in the dirt road. It took all of her strength to hang onto the rope high enough so her head and shoulders were clear of the ground._

"_Cora." Henry ran over to his wife and daughter as the horse halted at the hitching post. _

"_Henry, throw her in the cellar; she needs to know what it really means to be alone. And don't even think of sneaking her water or food or your punishment will be more severe than hers."_

_She turned to her nearly unconscious daughter and reveled in the wounds that were apparent on the girl's fair skin. "You'll live; but you may wish you hadn't." She cupped Regina's face. "Three days of the cellar should teach you to not hide anything from me."_

_The tiny cellar was dark; only a small ray of light shone through a tiny crack in the top of the solid door. The smell of damp soil mixed with the scent of blood that Regina knew came from her injuries. She was bruised and stiff from the dragging; and though she could move in tiny increments, the pain forced her to lie as still as she could. Her hands were still bound and she could feel the rough fibers of the rope as they made fine cuts into her already sensitive skin. She was sure that her right wrist was broken, though she could still slowly move her fingers, which gave her hope that it could be set and healed._

_It wasn't the pain or the darkness that finally broke the girl's spirit; it was the silence. By the third day she thought she would go mad; the only sounds she had heard for seventy-two hours were the scurrying of mice and her own scratchy voice. She had talked to herself for as long as she could, but eventually her throat became too parched to make noise and she was forced into silence. _

_It had seemed like an eternity when she heard the sound of the lock being opened. She shielded her eyes with her bound hands as the sunlight poured into the cramped space. She shrank back from the shadow, afraid of what it meant. Only when she heard her father's concerned voice did she dare relax a bit._

"_Take her to the healer." Her mother's stern voice came from beyond the door. "Tell Rose she has four days to fix her. If she can't do it, I'll be forced to use magic to heal her; you know how Rose hates that." She gave a wicked laugh._

_The carriage ride was excruciating to Regina's injured body. Her father apologized profusely for Cora's punishment, but Regina knew that he was too weak to stop her mother from doing whatever she wished. "Just drive faster and get it over with, Father." She begged, hoping that the harder, short ride would be more bearable than the slow, long pace they were taking. _

_She was nearly unconscious again when she heard the healer's voice. "Little one, be strong, I've got you now." _


	33. Chapter 33

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

Chapter Thirty-three

It didn't take Emma long to find the small town in New Hampshire where Baelfire lived; the hard part would be to convince the man to come to Storybrooke to see his father. It was an overcast day; perfect for driving, but it dulled the colors of the trees leaves, robbing them of their full autumn glory. Emma's focus wasn't on the scenery; instead she drove the VW and listened to the micro-tape in the hand help player. Regina's sultry voice came from the machine.

_Once you reach highway four take it north and follow that into Andover. Baelfire's house is west of town, but he attends church every Sunday at three p.m.; you might try catching him in town if you get there in time._

"No problem there." Emma spoke back to the recorded voice. "I'm sitting there now and it's only two o'clock." She rewound the part of the tape she had spoken over and listened again to Regina's instructions.

_Baelfire is strongly opposed to magic, but he's always had a deep seated love for his father. He had delusions that he could rescue Rumple from the curse of the Dark One; but at the last minute his father chickened out and remained in the realm, sending the young boy into this world alone._

"I sense a trend." Emma commented without bitterness.

_You'll have to show him the photos I gave you; it will help convince him that his father is here and free of magic. The note Mr. Gold wrote to you should also help to persuade him that his father is desperate to make amends._

Emma thumbed at the manila folder that held the photos and the letter from the pawnbroker.

_Baelfire should remember everything; he did when I sent a private detective after him last time. He wasn't willing to come then though, but I trust you will be more persuasive as you are Snow and James' daughter. He left before your birth, Emma, but the ring on your finger will prove to him that you are from their royal lineage in the Realm. I miss you already. Godspeed my white knight; I await your victorious return. I love you, Emma. _The tape ran silently for a few seconds before clicking off.

"I love you, too, Regina." She replied in the empty car as she spotted Baelfire.

"Hey." She yelled as she crossed the street.

He looked momentarily alarmed, but then relaxed and asked "Can I help you, Miss? I'm late for church."

"Yeah." She caught up and walked beside him on the sidewalk a block away from his weekly place of worship. "My name is Emma Swan; I'm from Storybrooke, Maine."

He gave her an incredulous look as their pace slowed. "That can't be. People from there can't leave the town limits."

She held out her hand and showed him the deep blue stone on her ring. "Do you recognize this?"

He stared at the ring before shaking his head. "I don't know what you want, Miss Swan, but I assure you that I've never seen that crest before in my life."

She hated when people lied. "Baelfire, lie to yourself, but don't lie to me." She said sharply. "You know damned well this is the crest of King George. I'm his adopted son, James', daughter. My parents sent me through in a magical tree just before Queen Regina cast the dark curse."

"Well then, Princess Emma." His voice took on a derisive tone. "It's a good thing that my family was from the kingdom of Queen Aspen. You have no leverage with me here."

"Okay, perhaps you're right about that." She conceded. "But maybe these will." She handed him the envelope, written in his father's distinct handwriting. He took it and turned it over, curious.

"What's this?" Their pace had stopped as he examined the small packet.

"A letter, to you from your father; here are some pictures, too." She passed a dozen photos to the man. "This…" She pointed at the man in the pinstriped suit and deep red, silk tie with a matching handkerchief that was neatly folded in his breast pocket. "Is your father, Rumplestiltskin. He goes by Mr. Gold in this world."

He studied each of the photos carefully; in every one of them his father was well dressed and brandished a walking cane. _But he looks…_ Baelfire confessed…_normal_. The odd little imp that his father had become in the Realm was replaced by a regular looking man. _Just like he was before he became the Dark One. _Memories flooded back of his father and him living in the small, poor village of his childhood. How his father had looked at him with adoration and love. _His eyes have changed. _He noticed the anger and the weariness that filled his father's countenance.

They sat on a nearby bench, church forgotten, as he opened the envelope and read the two sheets of parchment paper that were inside. The bold strokes of ink were a contrast to the gentle words of his father. He reread the letter again before folding it back up and sliding it into the envelope.

"He wants to see me." He spoke without inflection.

"It's been a long time." She noted.

"Yeah, it has."

"So what's stopping you?"

"He broke his promise to me; he sent me _here_ by myself. I don't know if I can forgive him."

"You named your son after him; perhaps there's a chance."

He thought about that for a few moments before speaking again. This time his voice was rough; his throat constricted with the emotions he felt towards his father. "Can I keep these?" His hand held the letter and photos.

"Of course." Emma shrugged. _Damn it, he isn't going to come to Storybrooke. _She was already bracing herself to tell Regina of her failure.

"My son will need to know what his grandfather looks like so he isn't scared." Baelfire sighed. "He's always wanted to meet him. I'll need a couple hours to call into work and pack up. Paul's at his mother's house for her weekend visitation; I can pick him up at five thirty." He stood and turned back to the blonde. "You might as well come with me to pack; I have a few questions for you." They walked over to the yellow VW.

"Awesome." Emma's heart did a happy dance at her success. "Because I have a million questions for you, too."

Regina peered down into the darkness of the now open hatch; the metal lid sat upright on its hinge, a small ring was welded to the inside part. The entrance to the bolt hole was three foot square; plenty of room for her to climb down without touching anything but the ladder. She unpacked a small flashlight from her overnight bag and flicked it to _on_; shining it down the hatch, she could see the bottom was about ten feet below. She turned the flashlight back off to conserve batteries and pushed it firmly into the front pocket of her jeans. The first couple of feet of the entrance were lined in metal, but the rest below was surrounded by wood. _I can do this. _She steeled her nerves. _Be strong for Emma. It's a big enough space to stand and move around; I won't be trapped and it won't be for very long. _

She took out a nylon rope and carabineer from her bag and connected them to the leather handle of the bag. She lowered down the suitcase until she felt the line go slack, indicating it had reached the bottom of the hole. She reached over and tied her end of the rope to the ring on the metal lid before placing her tennis shoe clad foot onto the first step. Carrying the three ivy-bound tools that served as a key, she lowered herself down one step at a time; stopping once her head was below the surface. She pulled on the rope and caught the closing lid just before it slammed tight. She gently lowered it the last two inches, taking a deep breath of fresh air right before the lid closed and left her in darkness. Tapping five times on the lip, she heard a distant gear grind; she pushed against the metal to ensure it was truly locked. She loosely tied the bundle to the top rung of the ladder for when she could finally leave the cellar. Feeling her way in the darkness she stepped down until she felt the solid ground below. She quickly felt for her flashlight and turned it back on to inspect the small space.

_Thank you, Rose. _She noted the stack of twine-wrapped plastic totes that Rose had lowered into the cellar. The outsides of the totes were dusty and Regina remembered seeing them under the counters in the shed. As the healer had promised, there was an ample supply of water and food that would sustain the Mayor for the next two days. She noted that Rose had also lowered down a porta-potty and simple wooden and canvas cot. The last two totes that Regina opened contained a variety of items including two battery operated lanterns with spare batteries, a hand cranked weather radio and some bedding and a pillow. _You've thought of everything._ She thought as she realized that this was all from Rose's personal emergency kit. _Well Maine __**is**__ known for its harsh winters; I should make sure Emma, Henry and I are as well prepared. _She thought as she remembered the numerous times Storybrooke had been power due to a bad winter storm.

She set to making the dark space lighter by turning on both lanterns; the light cast shadows within the cellar, but gave her sufficient illumination to work by. She set up the cot and placed the bedding and pillow on it. Her sleeping area prepared, she used the totes as make-shift tables as she unpacked her suitcase. She set the small toiletry kit, some hand sanitizer, and a roll of toilet paper on a tote next to the porta-potty and declared the area as 'the bathroom'.

Next she pulled a plastic gallon container of water out of a tote and set it next to the camping stove. She arranged the two pots neatly on a food-filled tote next to the stove. The kitchen now done, she looked around at what else she could do to occupy her time and her mind. She saw the nylon chair bag and pulled out the contents; opening it up, she sat the chair near another tote and sat down. _Now what? _She felt her spirits fall as she realized that now it was just a waiting game. She stood and went to the first lantern; begrudgingly she turned it off to conserve the battery. The cellar was now dimmer, and she felt her courage diminishing as well. She checked her watch, grateful for the pale green illumination that dimly shone. _Rumplestiltskin's shop will still be open, maybe I can just peek through the top of the cellar. _She relit her flashlight and, placing it between her teeth, she climbed back up the ladder. She tapped five times with the tools on the lid and waited for the gear to grind, unlocking the hatch; nothing happened.

She felt the bile rise in her throat as the panic constricted her chest and her head began to swim. She held on tightly to the metal ladder, waiting for the sensations to abate. _Breathe. _She willed herself to take a few measured, even breaths. She turned the light of her flashlight onto the bundle; the rake and the broom were securely bound, but the secateurs were missing. She let go of the rope that held the tools and flashed the light onto the ground. There, below on the dirt floor, laid the green secateurs. _Thank God. _She clamored down the stairs to retrieve the tools. She felt for the solid ground below; as she took her final step, the adrenaline surge finally caught up to her and she bent over, unceremoniously puking on her shoes.

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, uncaring that her tennis shoes were no longer a pristine white. Placing her hands on her knees, she waited until the dizzying hot flash passed and she was sure that she was done vomiting. Once she was certain that she could function she found the green tool and firmly tied it, as well as the Walkie-talkie, to the end of the rope. Once again she trekked upwards until she reached the hatch. She wrapped one arm around the thin ladder frame, with her hands she pulled on the rope until she felt the cool metal tool touch her skin. She untied the tool but left the radio on the rope; adding the secateurs to the other tools, she rewrapped them in ivy and tapped the hatch five times. This time, the gear engaged and the hatch unlocked.

She let go of the tool bundle and pulled up the rope until she felt the radio. She took another step upward and pushed open the hatch. The sunlight momentarily blinded her, causing her to wince in the brightness. Once she could see again, she turned on the radio and pressed the call button. Within seconds Henry's guarded voice came through. _Hello? I mean the black dog howls at the quarter moon._

Regina had to laugh at Henry's seemingly made-up code words; she decided to respond in kind. "The brown bear catches fish in his clawed paws."

_That's not even real code. Who is this?_

"Me." She replied simply as a tear rolled down her face.

_You left the nest? _She could hear the concern in his young voice.

"I miss you."

_I miss you too, but you have to be strong. Oh crap, the keeper is leaving his shop. Hide, Mom._

She realized that Henry was watching Mr. Gold. "I love you, Henry."

_You, too. _Was his short, final reply. She envisioned him sitting on a bench in the town park near the pawnshop.

She waited until the last possible moment before heading back down into the bolt hole. A strong sense of apprehension filled her as she lowered the lid and locked herself inside. _Please come home soon, Emma._

Emma waited in the small kitchen of Baelfire's house; he had offered her a cup of coffee, which she accepted and drank, hoping it would help take the edge off of her sleepiness. She watched as he packed a duffle bag with both adult and child sized clothing. He unlocked a cabinet and removed a very small wooden box that was carved with an intricate design. "My mother made this for me." He admitted as he rubbed his thumb over the carving. "It was one of few things I brought with me from there." He wrapped the box in a kitchen towel and placed it gently into the duffle. "All set, I guess. Let's get this over with."

Emma nodded and stood, draining the last of her coffee before rinsing the cup out at the sink. "Thank you for doing this." She smiled as he hefted the bag on his shoulder and followed her out the door.


	34. Chapter 34

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

Chapter Thirty-four

Emma had given Baelfire a hand drawn map to Storybrooke before she got in her yellow VW and followed him through town. "Your GPS is useless once you get close to the town; it doesn't show up on it or on any official map."

"Of course it doesn't." He said understandingly.

They picked up his son, Paul, as Bae's ex-wife eyed Emma suspiciously through the front door screen. Emma cheerfully waved at the woman, hoping to put to rest any concerns the red-head was having about a younger blonde following her son and former husband. The woman finally waved back, but didn't smile.

Emma took advantage of the quiet drive to recall the conversation she and Mr. Gold's son had about his memories of Storybrooke; they were, she realized, the remembrances of a boy. Like Henry, they were all seen in a filtered lens of good versus evil, love against hate, and shades of black and white. The gray subtleties of life that would come with age and experience eluded the young boy.

But now that young boy was a middle-aged man; one who had lived the majority of his life in this land. Emma wondered how his life here had turned out the way it did; divorced, one child, living in a small town in New Hampshire. It seemed that financially and professionally he did alright; she had glanced at the stack of mail that lay on his kitchen table and noted that a few of the letters were addressed to Baelfire R. Gold, Attorney-at-law. _A lawyer, like his father. _She also wondered if he had chosen the surname, or if it was just his name when he arrived in this land.

As they continued their drive, she glanced at the plastic sack on the passenger seat; they had made one stop in town, at her request, so she could anonymously pick up four disposable phones. _A safe way to talk without being overheard by Mr. Gold. _She thought as they drove east, leaving the sunset in their rearview mirrors.

Henry remained on the bench long after he had warned Regina that Mr. Gold had left his shop; he was hopeful that she had heeded his advice and was safely hidden. Watching the sunset, he realized that soon it would be dark and he needed to get back to Snow's house.

"Hello, Henry." The shopkeeper's voice startled him.

"M..Mr. Gold." He stammered as the man sat beside him on the bench.

"Bit late for you to be out alone, isn't it?" The slight man cocked his head and studied the Mayor's son. _Time to help me find your mommy._

Henry quickly concocted a story to convince the storekeeper that he was stranded. "My mom was supposed to pick me up at five o'clock. But she didn't show up; I stayed here so I wouldn't get in trouble with her."

"Ah." _Damn. _The man smoothly replied. "And you can't reach her on the radio?" He nodded at the walkie talkie in the boy's hands.

Henry sighed. "No, the radio was so I could reach Emma; but she hasn't answered since this morning and I don't know where she is." _At least that part is true._

"What about calling your mom on a telephone? Surely she has her cell phone with her?" Mr. Gold inquired.

"Tried that." Henry lied matter-of-factly. "No answer."

"I see." _Where are you hiding Regina? _"Well, how about I drive you home then? Surely your mother doesn't want you alone, outside, after dark."

Henry frowned, but then brightened. "Hey, I know. How about you take me to Emma's? That way if she's there, she'll take care of me; and if she's not, then Miss Blanchard can call my mom?"

"Alright then, let's do that." Mr. Gold agreed as he stood and walked with the boy to his car. _If Emma's gone, then perhaps she really can bring my Bae home. _

They drove the short distance to Emma's apartment, but the VW wasn't in the driveway. "It's okay." Henry assured the man. "I'll just stay here with Miss Blanchard till my mom comes and gets me."

"Good night then, Henry." Mr. Gold bade him farewell. He waited until the boy reached the door and the teacher answered, letting him in, before driving off into the darkness.

Henry quickly closed the door behind him and peered out of the window to make sure the shopkeeper would drive away. Once he was certain that Mr. Gold was gone he let out a long breath and smiled at Snow. "Have you heard from either of my moms?" He asked hopefully.

Snow shook her head as she returned to the kitchen to finish making a salad. "No, last I heard Emma was heading to find Baelfire, but she thought she would be back late tonight. And, as far as I know, Regina is in hiding. She wouldn't tell me exactly where, but I'm sure she'll be fine." She reassured her grandson.

"Yeah." He looked out the window into the darkness. "I hope so."

Regina had been keeping the darkness in the bolt hole at bay with the two lanterns that Rose had provided. She glanced at her watch again, but only fifteen minutes had passed since the last time she had looked. She sighed; bored, but not afraid. _At least that's a good sign. _She thought as she realized she would be locked in the cellar for up to two more days. She was just about to pick her supper from the three cans of soup when she heard a noise at the door of the bolt hole. She pressed her body up against a wall, hiding in the shadows, and waited. This time the noise was distinct; two taps followed by one tap. _Rose._

Regina quickly ascended the ladder and tapped the key against the lid. She heard the gear grind and the click of the lock as it opened. Pushing up on the hatch, she felt the weight lifted as Rose helped open the lid. She poked her head out of the opening and took a deep breath of fresh air. The scent of roasted chicken overwhelmed her senses and she heard her stomach growl at the smell. Her eyes began to adjust to the darkness inside the shed.

"Its all clear, Regina; at least for a few minutes. Henry just called me and told me Mr. Gold dropped him off at Emma's apartment. Even if he drove straight here, it would take him fifteen minutes."

Regina felt the plastic bag, warm with a plastic container inside, that Rose passed to her. "I thought you might like something besides soup for supper." The healer remarked. "And here…" She passed Regina another, heavier plastic bag. "To keep you busy while you're down there." Regina smelled the distinct scent of lavender, sage and sandalwood.

"Thank you." Regina's voice wavered. "Is Henry alright then?"

"Oh my, yes; he is spending the night with Snow, at least till Emma comes back. And I've called my friend Ryker; he's agreed to keep an eye on your house tonight in case Mr. Gold gets any nasty ideas."

Regina smiled, remembering Ryker as a former renegade in her kingdom; a 'sword for hire' if you needed a dirty job done. _He'll have no trouble taking care of Mr. Gold if he starts trouble._ "Then thank you again, Rose."

"You're welcome, love. Stay safe tonight and I'll be sure to visit you again tomorrow, if I can." She handed the weight of the door to Regina and watched as it closed, once again locking the Mayor inside.

The two cars drove past the _Welcome to Storybrooke _sign in the middle of the night. Emma passed Bae's car and waved for him to follow her into town. She navigated the streets of the town until she pulled up in front her apartment. He pulled up behind her and shut off his engine. _So this is it? _

"Can I carry anything for you?" Emma asked him as he carefully removed the sleeping boy from the back seat.

"Um, sure if you don't mind; my duffle bag is in the trunk." He looked around in the darkness at the silhouette of trees in the moonlight and wondered if his father was lurking in them. He shook off the thought as he heard the blonde clear her throat before they walked up the short path to the door.

"Emma!" Henry opened the door after peering through the window.

"Hey kid, Hi Mary Margaret." They'd agreed it would be best to use their Storybrooke names in front of Baelfire; they couldn't afford to have him tip off Rumplestiltskin that they were aware of their true identities.

"You must be Baelfire." Mary Margaret greeted the tall, wiry man. "Please, come in." She showed him to a couch where he gently laid down his sleeping son. "I'm afraid my place isn't very big, but it's the safest place for you tonight."

"My father?" He asked hesitantly.

"Will be very excited to see you; but, it's best if you wait till morning." The teacher contended. "There's a bedroom upstairs, a bathroom too, for you and your son."

Emma gave her a dirty look behind Baelfire's back. _You gave away my room? _

Mary Margaret just smiled at her daughter and innocently shrugged.

"That's great, thank you Miss Blanchard." Baelfire picked up his duffle bag.

"Oh, please, call me Mary Margaret. And if you're hungry, I have plenty of food for everyone." She gave her most innocent smile.

"Again, I'm indebted to you, Mary Margaret. Let me just put my son to bed and my things away; I'll be back down soon." He shifted his bag over his shoulder and picked his son back up. The women and Henry watched as he trudged up the staircase to the bedroom.

As soon as they heard the door shut, Henry whispered. "You did it! You found him and brought him back to Storybrooke."

Emma smiled at her son and scruffed his hair. "Seems we both have a talent for finding people."

He returned, as promised, and the foursome filled their meal with questions, stories and laughter. Once everything was cleaned up and Mary Margaret had persuaded Henry to go take a bath, Emma and Baelfire sat alone in the small living room.

"So, Emma, I think I at least deserve one truthful answer from you." He began.

"Everything I've told you _has _been truthful." She countered.

"Yeah, okay, but I need to know one thing; how much did my father pay you to find me and bring me back." He asked as he took a swallow of his beer.

"No money; rather I made a deal with him. This is my part of the deal, to bring you and another person he loves back to him." She thought of Belle and how she would reunite them all together.

"And his part of this deal?" He pressed.

"He has a power over my…ex…that I want to possess. He's agreed to give it to me in exchange." Her thoughts went to Regina and she sent a silent prayer, to any god that would listen, for Regina's safety.

"Give it to you or share it with you? He can be a sly deal maker; I should know." There was a twinge of sorrow in his voice.

"Give it, I made sure of that. And Regina taught me how to write an agreement that would be honored here; even if it came from the other realm."

"Well then…" He drained his beer in one long draw. "May you find what you are looking for. But, I must warn you that all magic comes with a price."

She considered his warning; one she had heard a dozen times during her stay in Storybrooke. "The price will be worth it, at least to me."

"Then I bid you goodnight, Emma. I'll see you in the morning." He stood to leave; she did too.

"Baelfire…thank you; for coming, for your advice, for agreeing to see your father…." Her words drifted into a long silence between them.

He finally filled it. "Like you said, it's been a long time."

Morning broke with a sunrise streaked in reds and oranges over the ocean bordering Storybrooke. Emma was there to view it; sitting on a rocky outcrop on the beach and wondering if there were such beautiful things in the new realm. _Guess I'll find out soon enough. _She waited until the colors had faded and the sun had risen like a golden orb into the morning sky.  
She drove back to her apartment, pleased to find that Bae's car was still parked where he left it the night before.

"You're up early." Mary Margaret greeted the blonde as she came into the house. "Coffee?"

Emma took the proffered mug of steaming black liquid. "Thanks." She nodded towards the staircase. "They still asleep?"

"Mhmm, though I heard the shower running a few minutes ago, so it could be Baelfire's up." The teacher sipped on her hot coffee.

"Well, then, can I ask your advice?" She asked the brunette.

"Of course, what is it?" Mary Margaret cocked her head and studied Emma. The blonde usually wasn't one to ask for help or advice.

"Alright, so how should I do this? I mean do I just waltz in to his shop and say 'Hey Mr. Gold here is your son and grandson'; or should I bring Belle along at the same time? I think it's only fair to Baelfire and his son that they have a reunion alone with him, but…" Mary Margaret's hand touched Emma's arm, stilling the blonde.

"Emma, if it were me, which it's not, but if it were, I would give Baelfire and Paul the chance to spend some time alone with Mr. Gold. It's been a long time since they've seen each other; I'm sure they're both nervous and need a bit of time to smooth things over. In the meantime, you can leave them and go find Belle. Once you find her, bring her here; let Mr. Gold know you have her and let him decide when he's ready to reunite with her."

"But Regina is…" Emma began before the teacher cut her off.

"Not going anywhere." Mary Margaret shot her a warning look. "When Mr. Gold gives you the power over the Mayor, you will have plenty of time to use it as you like. Until then, be patient; give Gold the time he needs. No good will come from pressuring him."

"Mary Margaret is right." Neither of the women had noticed Baelfire come downstairs and join them. "My father doesn't respond well to being rushed; never has, never will." He sat down at the table next to Emma as he spoke. "Is that coffee I smell?"

"Absolutely." Mary Margaret quickly recovered from the surprise and wondered how much of their conversation he had overheard. _At least we didn't give Regina away. _She found another mug and filled it. "Cream or sugar?"

"Just black, please." He eyed the mug. "I think I'm going to need a few cups to be ready for today."

"How did you and Paul sleep?" Emma joined in with the pleasantries.

"Very well, thank you; Storybrooke is a quiet place." He mused.

"You have no idea." Emma shook her head and laughed. "Your return is going to be the biggest thing that's happened in months."

"Well, what was so big that happened months ago?"

"I came to town."


	35. Chapter 35

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

**Chapter Thirty-five**

Mr. Gold had difficulty sleeping; if the Sheriff was successful, his son Baelfire would soon be coming to Storybrooke. If she wasn't…_Perhaps it's for the best. _His mind told him, but his heart disagreed. The ache he felt in his chest was different than the usual pain he endured since he broke his promise to his son and let the boy come alone into this world. This was a sharper, acute ache that threatened to break his heart should Bae reject him again.

He woke early in the morning, irritable from little sleep; anxious for the day to be over, regardless of the outcome. He waited until seven to call the Sheriff's cell phone. He had to know if she would be bringing his son home.

"Sheriff Swan." She answered, causing a raised eyebrow from Baelfire. She covered the mouthpiece and whispered. "Don't look so surprised."

"She's very good at it." Mary Margaret chimed in supportively.

"Ah, Miss Swan, good morning." Mr. Gold worked to keep his voice steady.

"Mr. Gold, it's early." Her mouth twitched in irritation.

"Indeed, and I do apologize. However I need to know if you were successful in locating my son."

"I was."

"And, may I ask, will he be coming back to Storybrooke with you?"

She covered the mouthpiece again and asked Baelfire. "_You ready_?" He gave a solemn nod in response.

"Actually he's already here; we came in last night."

Mr. Gold felt the lump in his throat grow at her confirmation. He cleared his throat, trying to temporarily push the emotions down. "Thank you, Miss Swan." His voice cracked, despite his effort to hide his joy. "What time would he like to meet?"

She repeated his question to Bae; he glanced at his watch and shrugged. "Give me an hour to wake up Paul and get him ready."

"He needs about an hour. We'll meet you at Granny's for breakfast." There was silence from the other end of the conversation. "Mr. Gold, are you there?" She waited a few seconds more before he responded.

"I am." He felt a tear run down his face. He wiped it off and stared at the moisture on his hand; it was the first time he had cried since he lost Bae. "I'll be there."

Emma hung up the phone. "I hope it was alright that I suggested the diner. I figured it was a public place, so it might be more comfortable at first. Besides, the food is quite good and you'll have a chance to see a lot of different people from town." She smiled as she finished the last of the coffee in her mug.

"No, I don't mind at all. A breakfast meeting is great; I have a lot of them in my line of work. It'll be a good way to break the ice with him. If you'll excuse me, I'll go wake up Paul."

He stood and placed his empty coffee mug in the kitchen sink. Emma watched him for a moment before turning her attention to her next matter of business. _Now to fetch Belle. _Regina had been hiding the woman in the basement of the hospital; an area known only to the Mayor and a few trusted hospital employees that were charged with Belle's care. Regina had assured Emma that Belle, although essentially imprisoned in a cell, had not been physically or emotionally harmed; heavily sedated, yes, but not harmed. _'I thought it would be more humane that way.' _Regina had told the blonde. So, once Emma got Bae settled, she would take a trip to the hospital and rescue the supposed love of Mr. Gold's life.

"All set." Baelfire's voice caused her to look up; the man was dressed in tan khaki's and a navy polo shirt. Carrying his duffle bag, he led Paul to the table where Mary Margaret had placed a small glass of orange juice. "Emma, Mary Margaret, thank you for letting Paul and me stay here last night. But, I don't want to continue to intrude on your lives; so if you can tell me where a hotel is, Paul and I will just stay there until we leave Storybrooke."

"Storybrooke doesn't have a hotel, but we do have a bed and breakfast. Talk to Granny or Red at the diner; they own the B&B, too." Emma offered.

"Sounds homey, thank you." He answered sincerely. Turning to his son he smiled and asked. "Well, Paul, are you ready to go meet your grandpa?"

"Really?" The boy's eyes lit up with excitement.

_Reminds me of Henry. _Emma thought of her own son who was still sleeping in Mary Margaret's little bedroom. "Alright, then, why don't you guys follow me to the diner?"

Mary Margaret watched as Emma, Baelfire and Paul all drove away, heading south to the restaurant. _Good luck, Baelfire. May the Gods watch over you and your son._

Emma wasn't at all surprised to see Mr. Gold waiting outside the restaurant when they pulled up to the diner. "He's just as I remembered him; it's like he hasn't aged since I left." Baelfire noted the man in the dark suit and tie. "Except he dresses better here." He gave a short laugh.

"Yeah, supposedly time is stopped here; or at least it was until I arrived." Emma informed him.

He pulled his car over to the curb in front of Granny's and turned off the engine.

Emma hesitated, wondering if he needed her to stay. "Want me to go with you? I could introduce you."

"Thank you, but I best take it from here; are you sure you can get a ride home?"

"Yeah." Emma assured him. "Mary Margaret is going to meet me at the bakery; we both have errands to run."

"Okay, well I just wanted to make sure you wouldn't be stranded." He smiled at Emma as he opened the rear car door so his son could get out. "Paul, let's go have breakfast with Grandpa Gold."

Mr. Gold stood, but did not approach the vehicle. "Hey." Emma called as Bae turned to go. "Good luck; I'll see you again soon, I hope."

"That would be nice, Emma." He watched her as she crossed the street and walked away. He turned his attention to the slight man who was waiting for him at the door of the diner. Taking Paul's hand he walked towards his father.

"Bae." Mr. Gold stared at his son and grandson in wonder. "Is it really you?"

"Hello Papa." He turned to the nine-year old. "Paul, this is your Grandpa Gold. Papa, this is Paul."

"He has your mother's eyes." Mr. Gold noted with pride. He took a step forward and held open his arms. "It's good to see you again, son." Baelfire gave him a firm, but quick embrace. Mr. Gold would have noticed, but for the boy that had wrapped himself around the shopkeeper. "And you, Paul; it's wonderful to finally meet you. Come, let's go inside and eat; we can catch up over breakfast."

They sat down in a booth, away from other patrons. Ruby quickly served them coffee and their menus. "Paul." Bae patted his son on the back. "Why don't you go wash your hands?"

"Yes daddy." Paul slid out of the booth and looked for the sign to the bathroom.

Ruby helped out by pointing to a hallway. "Down there sweetie."

Baelfire waited until Paul was walking away before he looked pointedly at Mr. Gold. "I'm sure you have your doubts if I am really your son; I know I would if I were in your shoes."

Mr. Gold gave a guilty smile. "I apologize that I do have to wonder if you are who you say you are; I don't trust very easily."

"Well…" Bae lowered his voice. "You look exactly as you did when I was a boy, Rumplestiltskin. That is before you became the Dark One." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, intricately carved box and handed it to Mr. Gold. "My mother made this for me, before she died. Inside you'll find her wedding band."

Mr. Gold felt the tears roll down his cheeks as his son handed him the little wooden box. He looked inside, though he didn't need to; he would know his wife's woodcarvings anywhere. The plain silver ring that lay inside was just confirmation that the man across from him was indeed his son. "Thank you." He handed the box back to Bae as he pulled a handkerchief out of his jacket pocket and dabbed his eyes dry.

Baelfire slipped the box back into his pocket and moved over so Paul, who returned with clean hands, could sit next to him.

"How long will you two be staying in Storybrooke?"

"Honestly, that depends on how things go. A week at least, I hope." Bae answered as he sipped on his coffee.

"And do you need a place to stay? You could stay with me, I have spare rooms." The pawnbroker offered.

"Thank you, but I think we'll stay at the bed and breakfast for now." Bae wrapped his arm around Paul.

"Ah, of course." Mr. Gold tried to keep the disappointment out of his voice. "But promise me we can spend as much time together as possible."

"Every moment we can." Bae promised.

Across town, Emma pulled into the hospital parking lot. The trees, she noted, were beginning to lose their fall luster; the leaves were turning brown and many had fallen onto the ground. _At least it's sunny. _Emma thought as she wrapped her red leather jacket tighter around her torso to ward off the chill.

"Good morning, Sheriff, how can I help you?" The hospital receptionist greeted the blonde.

Emma peeked at the woman's name badge before responding. "Hi, Debbie; I'm actually just patrolling today." Emma lied. "I thought it would be a change of pace to visit the hospital."

"Well, it's nice to have you here, Sheriff. If you need anything, feel free to ask; I'll be here until three." The older woman gave Emma a friendly smile.

"Thanks, I will." Emma was grateful she could use her power in town to hide her ruse. _Okay, Regina said the door was on the first floor, down the hallway on the left. _She could feel Debbie watching her as she turned and headed out of the foyer. Emma intentionally walked slowly, though her brain told her to run. She would have missed the obscure door if she hadn't known to look for it. It blended smoothly into the wall and most people walked right by it, never giving it a thought. She looked around to make sure the coast was clear before she punched in the code and opened the door.

The ambiance and tenor of the hidden basement was a stark contrast to the rest of the hospital. Whereas the main area of the hospital was airy and welcoming, the hallway that Emma cautiously traversed was grimy and almost ominous. _Creepy place. _The Sheriff thought as she continued towards her destination. The beige paint on the walls was peeling in places, exposing a depressing shade of grey beneath. The once green and white checkerboard tiles were now cracked and scuffed. Long fluorescent lights flickered overhead, casting a humming noise that grated on Emma's ears.

She spotted the nurse at the dingy nurse's station. _Do nurses really still wear that? _Emma wondered at the woman's outfit of a white dress uniform, complete with the nurses' hat, white nylons and white tie-up shoes. She approached the reception desk and cleared her throat to get the nurse's attention. The woman looked up, clearly irritated at the interruption of her crossword puzzle. "Are you lost?" The woman finally asked.

"No." Emma quickly answered. "Regina Mills sent me." Emma produced the red rose that she had been carrying in her hand and passed it to the nurse. "She said this is for you."

The woman studied the single flower for a moment before looking back at Emma. "Third door on the left." She said as she passed Emma an old fashioned key.

Emma reached out and accepted the key. "Thank you." She replied, but the nurse had already turned her attention back to the crossword puzzle.

The first door she passed was opened, the small cell inside held only a meager bed and a steel toilet. Through a tiny window near the ceiling, the sunshine struggled to cast rays into the cold, soulless space. Emma shivered as she imagined being cooped up in such a place. The second door was closed so Emma quickly walked past. Finally she reached the third door, which was also closed. She took the brass key and slid it into the keyhole; turning the key clockwise she heard the click as the door unlocked. She took a deep breath before pushing the door open.

The girl sat on a ledge near the small window; unkempt straight brown hair hung limply, hiding her face from the Sheriff. Slowly, as if in a trance, she turned her head towards the door. She squinted at the bright light as Emma flipped on the switch. "Hey." The Sheriff slowly approached the girl. "My name's Emma. I'm the town Sheriff and I'm here to rescue you."

The girl's expression changed to one of pure confusion. "Why?"

It broke Emma's heart as she looked beyond the brunette's scraggly appearance to see a broken, beautiful girl. _Heavily sedated. _Regina's words echoed in her mind. "Because good should always win." Was all that Emma could honestly say.

The girl considered that for a moment before she slowly crawled down from the ledge. "Should I know you?"

Emma shook her head. "No, but I know you; your name is Belle."

The girl nodded in recognition of her name. "Where will you take me?"

"Somewhere you'll be safe. There is a man who has been looking for you for many years; a man who loves you. I promised him I would find you and bring you back to him."

"I don't remember any man; I don't remember_ anything_." Belle answered truthfully.

"That's okay." Emma assured her as she wrapped her arm around the girl's torso, helping to support her weight. "In time, you will remember." As they walked past the nurse's station, Emma placed the key on the desk. The nurse glanced up, but made no attempt to stop them.

"I'm going to take you to my home first so you can get cleaned up and eat a good meal. There's a nice soft bed there, too, for you. Once you feel better, I'll take you to Mr. Gold." Emma helped Belle limp outside.

As soon as they exited the door, the brunette stopped walking. "Where are we? Nothing looks familiar at all." Her voice took on an edge of panic.

Emma spoke calmly, trying to keep the girl from becoming more alarmed. "It's a town called Storybrooke. You're safe here; we just need to keep going."


	36. Chapter 36

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

**Chapter Thirty-six**

"Hello?" Regina cried out in the darkness. "Who's there?" She listened as she lied on her cot.

The only answer was the silence of the gloomy cellar. She sat bolt upright as she started searching for her flashlight._ Nothing's out there, Regina, it was just a dream. _She assured herself. Her fingers finally felt the round, cold metal of the flashlight and she felt for the rubber power button. Finding it, she pressed it, but there was no reaction; the room remained in utter darkness. This time she was certain she heard a sound in the room; she pressed down the panic that threatened to rise and bubble over.

She felt again on the crate next to her cot, this time her hands searched for a lighter that she knew was there. Relief swept through her when she saw the small flame flicker to life. She used it to light a candle, each flame working to keep the darkness at bay. She sat down on the cot again, this time surrounded by small lights. It was then she saw him.

She shook her head in disbelief. "Daniel?" She whispered his name like a prayer.

He came closer and she saw that he was dressed as he was the day he died at her mother's hand. "Hello Regina."

"You're here." She felt the sob rise up, but she did nothing to stop it. "My sweet Daniel."

"May I?" He asked; his hand indicating the empty space next to her on the cot.

_Gods how I've missed his smile. _She wiped tears from her face as she nodded, unable to speak.

"I'm here, but not for long." He sat next to her and she wrapped her body around his arm.

"I've missed you; every day of my life I've missed and loved you." She spoke in hushed tones, afraid that he would vanish and leave her alone again.

"I know, Regina…" Her name rolled off of his tongue and she smiled through her tears. "I've watched over you for decades now. I've never left you."

"And now you've come back to me?" She asked hopefully.

"I need you to listen to me, Regina; we don't have much time." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her tightly to him. "You were my _only_ love."

"And you are mine." She assured him.

"No, I was your _first _love, but I was never meant to be your _true_ love." She felt the wetness from his tears on her hand; she reached up to wipe his face, but he shook his head at her gesture. "Our love was the love of youth. It's what poets write sonnets about, what singers write songs; trying to capture in words the enchantment of the first time your heart is touched by another and you feel that magic."

"That's not true, Daniel. I'm no longer a young innocent girl; I'm a woman who is still in love with you." She pleaded desperately.

"What you loved about us, about me…" He shifted to face her and held her hands in his. "What you've held onto all these years was not being _in love_, it was being innocent. You lost something more precious then me that day, you lost your virtue."

"Because of her, I've lost everything." Her voiced deepened in sorrowful anger.

"You would have lost me anyway." He squeezed her hands firmly. "Had we succeeded, had we escaped we would have ended up in the northern part of King George's kingdom. The land of Morrow would soon have been at war with the goblins and I would have been recruited to fight in the Army. Regina, I would have died and left you a widow."

"I don't care!" She pulled away from him. "I would have given anything to have had one more second with you, let alone another year or two."

"Perhaps, but once I died you would have lived your life alone until you were forty-two. King James, George's son, and his wife Queen Snow would be riding through your town. Then you would have met the person whom you were destined to love forever."

"Emma?" She asked in disbelief.

"Princess Emma, actually." He grasped her hands once again.

"How do you know?"

"I was shown a vision a very long time ago. Regina, this curse you've cast needs to be broken. _You_ are the key to breaking it."

"True love's kiss. It doesn't work; Emma and I have kissed plenty of times." She blushed when she realized her confession was to Daniel.

"Yes, I know; but the kisses you gave her were with your lips, not with your heart." He smiled at her embarrassment. "Regina, that part of your heart that you gave to me, the part you've locked away, you need to give it to Emma."

"I don't want to lose you, Daniel." She felt the tears roll down her cheeks once again.

He looked at her in grave seriousness. "It _is_ fate that you will break the curse, but in doing so you will have to face **her** again."

"Mother." Regina realized as the fear shook her core. "I can't face her, not without _you_."

"You don't have to face her alone; you have a white knight to stand beside you. Look deep inside of Emma; I promise you'll find me there." He wiped the tear from her face and kissed her cheek. "I have to go now. Please, let me go…."

She sat alone in the candlelight, her fingers pressed against her lips as she tried to remember his touch, his voice, his kiss. But just as his image had faded, so did her memories.

The phone rang, waking Emma from her sleep. _On the couch again. _She sighed as she reached for the cell phone on the side table. "What?" She asked irritably.

"Ah, Miss Swan, I see you are more of a night owl. I apologize for the early call." Mr. Gold's voice came through the phone.

She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and sat up on the couch, wrapping the blanket around her torso to keep warm. "It's fine. How did your reunion go?"

"Very well. I must thank you for finding and returning my family to me. I'd tell you how brilliant my grandson is, but I think you might be bored."

"Well you can thank me by keeping your end of the deal and giving me the power you have over the Mayor." She couldn't bring herself to say Regina's name, for fear that her tone would give her away.

"All in good time, dearie; after all you still have to finish your end of the bargain."

She stood and stretched, her tank top rose up, exposing her stomach. Padding to the kitchen for coffee she listened to him ramble on about Belle. "Mr. Gold, all you have to do is say when and I'll bring her to you." She poured herself a cup from the coffee pot.

"You have her then?" He sounded surprised.

"I told you that finding people is what I do; yeah, I have her." Emma stirred in a splash of milk and a pinch of sugar.

"I'm impressed." The shopkeeper admitted. "Very well, I am going to have breakfast with Bae and Paul this morning; let's say you bring her by the shop around ten?"

"We'll be there." She closed her phone and tossed it on the kitchen counter. _Soon, Regina; I'll see you soon, my love._

Emma's thoughts turned to the raven haired woman who had captured her heart. Emma had always considered herself a loner. _Never needed anyone, never wanted to. _Her vagabond lifestyle, she thought, had suited her. Freedom from friendship, from family, and most certainly from love. _But Regina and Henry changed that…changed me. _She realized that even though it had only been a couple days, her heart ached from missing Regina. Emma had replayed each perfect smile, each gentle kiss, every sunset, and every laugh that she and Regina had shared. _God I miss her._

Her musings were interrupted by a very sleepy Henry slowly descending the staircase. Emma smiled as he walked over and gave her a hug. "Morning, Emma." He rubbed his eyes and yawned.

"Hey kid. You want some breakfast?" She offered.

"Um…" He wrinkled up his nose at the threat of her cooking for him. "I think I'll just have cereal."

"I miss your mom's cooking, too." The blonde admitted.

"I'll cook." Snow offered as she came downstairs. She was already dressed for work, looking very Mary Margaretish in her modest attire. "Henry, go get dressed while I cook breakfast."

"Yes, Grandma." He gave her a quirky smile before heading upstairs.

"I love it when he calls me that; but it still feels kinda strange, you know?" Snow cocked her head as she spoke.

"Oh yeah." Emma sighed. "I know."

"Any plans for Belle today?" The brunette cracked the eggs into the pan as they talked.

"Yeah, actually Mr. Gold wants us to meet him at ten o'clock." Emma watched Snow as she put a plate of bacon into the microwave. "So hopefully he'll keep his end of the bargain and we can move forward from there."

The microwave beeped, so Emma stood and opened the door to remove the plate. "Stop that!" Snow playfully slapped the blonde's hand when she caught Emma stealing a piece of bacon from the plate.

'What? I'm hungry." Emma groused. "Sleeping on the couch has given my quite an appetite."

"Oh so now you're Princess Susan?" Snow laughed.

"Who?"

"You know the story of the Princess and the pea? Where she sleeps on ten mattresses, but can still feel pain from the little pea that's buried in the bed."

"I am so not like that!" The Sheriff protested with a laugh as she cooked the toast.

Henry bounded down the stairs, dressed for school with his backpack slung over his shoulder. "Is that bacon?" He asked as he sat down and grabbed a piece from the plate.

"Knock it off." Emma chastised him. "What would your mother say if she saw you do that?"

"Um…" He slid the piece of bacon back onto the plate.

Snow portioned the scrambled eggs onto each of their dishes. "Henry, we need to leave in fifteen minutes so we aren't late for school. Emma, will you call me when there's any progress?"

Emma nodded as she chewed on a bite of toast. The time she had spent with Regina had taught her to not speak with her mouth full. She swallowed the last bit before answering. "Of course I will. Oh, I have these for each of us." She pulled out four new cell phones. "They're disposable phones; I got them when I picked up Baelfire. This way we can speak freely without worrying that the lines have been tapped." She handed one to Henry and two to Snow. "I've programmed each of our numbers into them so we can contact each other whenever we need to."

"Do they have text capabilities?" Snow asked before holding up the other phone and mouthing silently_. 'For James?'_

Emma nodded at both questions. "Yes; and yeah you can text, but it's a pain in the ass." She glanced at Henry and gave an apologetic smile. "I mean pain in the butt." Henry stifled a giggle when he saw the evil look Snow shot to the blonde.

Emma went upstairs to shower once Henry and Snow had left for the day. She stripped down out of her boy-shorts and tank top. She stepped into the hot shower and let the cascade of water pour over her naked body. Pressing her palms against the wall, she shifted so the water hit her shoulder directly; she noticed that, since being separated from Regina, her shoulder ached more often. The stream of water helped to relieve the ache, so she stretched her arm out to work on her range of motion. _I miss you, Regina. _She thought for the hundredth time that morning. She shampooed and conditioned her hair before washing her body. The scars on her shoulder were healing, but they would always be there to serve as a reminder of the first time she had slain a demon. _Hopefully the last time I have to do that._

Emma turned off the water and drip dried in the shower, before reaching for her blue towel. It was threadbare, as were the rest of the towels in the apartment. _Obviously being a teacher in Storybrooke doesn't pay as well as being Mayor. _She mused as she remembered the plush, thick towels in Regina's house. She had just dressed in her tan jeans and black t-shirt when she heard a soft knock on the bathroom door.

"Emma?" The hesitant voice called out.

The blonde opened the door to find Belle standing in the hallway. "Hey, how did you sleep?"

"Really well, thank you; but now I desperately have to pee." Belle apologized.

"Oh, God, of course." Emma danced in the doorway with Belle to let the girl get past her. "I'll just be downstairs."

Emma heard the flush of the toilet through the thin walls of the apartment. Not long after, she heard the shower going. _Good, I have some time to work. _She pulled out her notebook and flipped through the pages.

Rose had just opened her shop when she heard the chime of the bell. "Be right with you." She yelled from the back room. Wiping her hands on her white apron, she walked to the store. "Mr. Gold." She tried to keep the waver out of her voice. "I didn't expect you today; I'm still waiting on the Chervil flower to complete your order."

He walked around the room, picking up random bottles and running his hand along the wooden shelves. "Come now, Rose; we both know I'm not here to do business." He gave her a snide smile.

"I'm sorry; I don't know what you mean." She moved so that she could put the counter between herself and the man.

"Rose, I tire of playing games; just tell me where she is and I will be on my way." He stood, both hands on the top of his cane, and gave her a piercing look.

She forced her hands to not shake as she tried to appear casual. "Mr. Gold, I don't know who _she _is or where she is. I'm sorry to have wasted your time."

He slammed his hand down on the wooden table; the echo reverberated through her shop. "You know damned well that I'm speaking of Regina. Her car was last spotted parked outside of your shop; and she hasn't been seen since. She's not at home; she's not at her office, and she's obviously not at Miss Swan's. So…" He walked to the counter and leaned over it menacingly. "If you don't want to find your shop, oh shall we say, up in smoke, then I would suggest that you tell me the truth…please."

"Mr. Gold, resorting to threats will bring you no closer to finding her. I _can't _help you because I don't _know_ where she is." She found her voice rising in protective anger.

The pawnbroker resumed his stroll around her shop. "Rose, Rose, you've always been so protective of Regina; almost like a mother to her." He spun and faced her again. "I understand how it feels to be a parent, to want to keep your child safe." His voice and expression softened. "I simply wish to have a word with our esteemed Mayor; if you happen to see her, please do let her know that I dropped by."


	37. Chapter 37

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

**Chapter Thirty-seven**

It was nine forty-five when Emma and Belle left the apartment and headed through Storybrooke in Emma's yellow VW Bug. "Are all carriages horseless in this land?

It took the Sheriff a moment to realize that Belle was referring to all of the cars and trucks in Storybrooke. "Most are." Emma waited at the stoplight for the signal to change. "You can still find some horse drawn ones, but mostly in the country; I guess big cities have them, too, but mostly just for the tourists.

"This man you're taking me to, this Mr. Gold, what's he like?" Belle was most curious about the mystery man who supposedly had been searching for her for years.

Emma stalled, trying to come up with an accurate, yet non-threatening description of the imp. "Honestly, he's unlike anyone I've ever met before; I think he's lost a lot in his life. I'm pretty certain his life didn't turn out as he expected it would."

Belle gave a sharp laugh. "I think that's true for many of us; but I interrupted you, please go on."

Emma silently sighed before continuing with carefully chosen words. "He's clever and can be quite charming. He is an excellent businessman; he owns a lot of the property in the town, as well as his own shop."

"And he says he loves me?" Belle queried.

If Belle had asked her that same question a few days before, Emma would have doubted that Mr. Gold had the capacity to love; but now, after seeing him with his son and grandson, she realized that even the most wicked of souls could still have the ability to love someone. _Besides, people can change. _She thought of Regina, which brought a smile to her face. _And hey, if the Evil Queen can find love, why not Rumplestiltskin?_

"Yep. Those were his words." Emma nodded.

"Then I should very much like to meet him."

They pulled up in front of the pawnshop. Emma unsnapped her seatbelt; Belle watched her before following suit. She followed the Sheriff into the shop, taking just a moment to glance at all of the curiosities contained within.

Emma stuck her hands in her back pockets and rocked on her feet. "Mr. Gold, its Emma." The blonde called out in the seemingly empty shop. "I brought Belle with me."

Within a second, the man appeared; his expression was one of guarded hope. He walked towards the women, his cane barely tapping on the concrete floor.

"Good morning, Miss Swan." He spoke to Emma, but his eyes were on Belle. "My dear, Belle."

"Do I know you?" She searched her memories, hoping to find one of the man in front of her, but came up empty-handed.

His answer was tinged with sorrow. "No, I imagine you don't remember me; but trust me, you will." He gave her a small smile as he held out a single red rose to the girl. She took the offering and delicately smelled the bloom. "We have all the time in the world, my Belle."

He turned to Emma and gave a grateful smile. "Miss Swan, you have more than fulfilled your end of the deal; and as promised, I have now fulfilled mine. Take your leave and do as you wish, Sheriff; I have much catching up to do."

Emma knew she had just been dismissed, but she didn't want to just leave Belle alone with the man. "Belle?" The woman turned and faced her.

"Go, Emma, I'm fine; and thank you for rescuing me." Her smile broadened and she placed her hand in the crook of Mr. Gold's arm. "I feel safe here."

Emma hesitated. "Okay, but if you need anything, call me."

Mr. Gold nearly laughed. "Sheriff Swan, I assure you that Belle will never want for anything ever again; and if I remember correctly, you had planned to leave town once our deal was completed."

"Yeah, but not right away; not till I'm sure that Madame Mayor isn't a threat to me or Henry."

"As you wish, Emma; but if you find her before I do, let her know I want to thank her for the way she treated Belle all these years." His thinly veiled threat caused her pulse to race.

She acted with a false sense of bravado; and though it hurt her heart to do so, she too threatened the Mayor. "If I find her first, _you_ won't have that chance." She spoke bitterly, causing him to smile.

"Well then, dearie, we're on the same page." He gestured to the door. "Now, Sheriff, if you don't mind…"

She drove down the street before calling James; he answered his cell phone on the third ring. "Emma, is everything alright?" She heard the concern in his voice.

"Yeah, I just dropped Belle off at Rumple's shop, but I need a huge favor from you."

"Of course, how can I help?" He answered firmly.

"I need eyes on Rumple; I'm heading to Rose's but I can't have him know. If he leaves his shop, I need a heads up." In her mind, all of the details were falling in line and she knew that time was of the essence if they were going to pull this off.

"I'll be across from his shop in five minutes; if I see anything amiss, I'll call you right away. Where are Snow and Henry?"

She headed towards Rose's shop, careful to drive slowly enough to not garner any attention. "In school; Snow thought it would be best to act like it was a normal day."

She heard a sharp snort on the other end of the line before James added. "Like there's such a thing as a normal day in Storybrooke." The comment made her smile.

"We'll rendezvous at six p.m. at the apartment then?" She worried they wouldn't be able to get everything ready in time.

He heard the nervousness in her voice. "Emma, relax; I promise you I've pulled off bigger campaigns than this. Just find Regina and meet us at six; everything will be fine." His confidence gave her a bit of hope. "Okay, I can see Rumple in his shop; go get her, Emma."

She pulled the yellow car curbside at the Apothecary's shop. "Emma." Rose greeted her as the Sheriff walked in the door. "What brings you here this morning?" She continued to dust the shelves as she spoke to the blonde.

"I'm trying to find Regina; I was hoping you might know where she's hiding." Emma put her hands in the pockets of her red leather jacket and tried to act casually.

Rose looked at the blonde's hopeful face. "May I ask if the deal is done?" She asked obtusely.

Emma smiled widely. "Yeah, it's done."

Rose smiled back. "Then I'll let her know and she'll contact you as soon as it's safe to do so."

Emma's smile faded and she nearly whined. "Oh, come on Rose; I really miss her."

Rose gave a gentle laugh. "Emma, trust me, she missed you very much, too. But I promised her I'd keep her location a secret. Now go home and be patient; it won't be long before you hear from her."

Emma gave an exaggerated sigh. "Fine, but if she doesn't call within an hour, I'm coming back to hunt her down." She smiled to show she was teasing. "Here, these are for you and Regina." She handed the healer a plastic bag.

Rose peered inside before reaching in and pulling out a cell phone. "What are these for?"

"They're disposable cell phones; I bought them on my trip to find Baelfire. And since Mr. Gold doesn't know they exist, he won't be able to listen in on our calls."

"Clever girl. Now, the sooner you leave, the sooner I can let her know to come out of hiding." Rose walked Emma to the door. "I shall see you very soon, I imagine." She said with a sparkle in her eyes.

As soon as Emma was in her car, she checked her phone for a signal, and to make sure the ringer was on. "Come on Regina, call." She checked her phone numerous times during the short drive to the Sheriff's Department.

_Might as well kill some time at work until she calls me. _She thought as she entered the office. Jared, one of her volunteers greeted her. "Hello, Sheriff."

"Hey, Jared; how's the town this morning?" She poured some black coffee into a paper cup.

'Quiet as usual." He stood and put on his jacket. "Even Leroy's keeping his head down."

"Good to hear." She sat at her desk and thumbed the small stack of reports she needed to finish. "Thanks for covering for me this morning." She smiled at the man.

"No problem. If you need me again this week, just call." He put on his tweed cap and gave her a mock salute as he left the station.

Emma turned her attention once again to the stack of paperwork, amused as she realized that if everything worked out as planned, there would be no need to complete the case files. _Still, it's something to do. _She considered as she opened the first one and began to fill out the form.

Regina sat by lantern light, eating the can of Vienna Sausages and some crackers. She grimaced as she put another small sausage in her mouth and chewed. The night before, she had opened a can of Spam and ate it cold from the can. _Thank the Gods these foods don't exist in the Realm. This world does have some excellent culinary offerings, but Spam and Vienna Sausages are not among them. _She remembered that she had read somewhere that Spam was a beloved meat in the state of Hawaii. The thought caused her to shudder. She finally finished the sausages and tossed the empty can in the trash before dusting off the cracker crumbs that had landed on her jeans.

She stood and stretched, feeling her muscles loosen as she twisted and turned. She missed her bed, she missed her son, but most of all, she missed Emma. _Emma. _She couldn't wait to see the blonde again. _To hold her; to kiss her. _She thought of the Sheriff's soft blonde hair and how she liked the feel of running her fingers through the tresses. Sighing, she forced herself to stand and clean the cellar; she found time passed much quicker when she kept herself busy. She had finished the herbs that Rose had given her to work on, and now had to search for tasks to keep herself occupied.

Regina was just finishing making her cot tidy when the knock on the bolt hole cover startled her. She waited for the signal again to make sure it was Rose on the other side. Grabbing the three tools that served as the magical key, she climbed quickly up the ladder and tapped the lid five times to unlock it. She poked her head out of the hole and found herself staring at Rose's tennis shoes. She looked up at the healer and smiled. "Good news I hope?" She cleared her throat when her voice cracked.

"Very good news, my dear; it's safe to come out of hiding." Rose reached her hand down to the Mayor.

Regina accepted the help out of the bolt hole, glad to finally be above ground once again. "Thank you, Rose." She said as she stood and dusted the dirt from her jeans.

"And you have a very anxious girlfriend waiting to hear from you." She handed Regina one of the phones that Emma had brought.

"What's this?" Regina turned the phone over and inspected it.

"Emma said that they were safe to use, that Mr. Gold couldn't trace them or listen in." Rose showed the Mayor that she had one, too. "Now, you call Emma while I go inside and make you a decent meal."

Regina waited until Rose was out of earshot before looking at the contact list on her phone. She thumbed down to Emma's name and pushed _send._ Emma answered on the first ring. "Regina?" She asked cautiously.

Regina had hoped to sound poised and calm, but she felt her pulse race when Emma said her name. "Emma." Was all she could squeak out before her throat constricted.

"Are you at Rose's?" Emma closed the file and stood up to find her keys.

"Yes. Is it true the deal is done?"

"Yeah, it is; stay there, I'm on my way." Regina could hear the VW's motor roar to life. "I'll see you in five." Emma stated decisively.

"See you in five." Regina agreed.

It took Emma three minutes to make it to Rose's shop. _Record time. _She smiled at the accomplishment. Stepping out of her car, she looked around to ensure that nobody was watching as she headed into the shop.

"Hello again, Sheriff." Rose worked on gathering her journals, seeds and some other belongings into a box. "She's upstairs in the shower, if you want to go see her."

Emma blushed at the image that popped into her head, and she raced up the stairs as quickly as she could. It wasn't the thought of seeing Regina naked that sent her heart racing; it was just the thought of seeing Regina. The shower had just stopped when she opened the bedroom doorway adjacent to the bathroom. Emma could see the steam filled room, but decided it would be best to announce herself rather than just pouncing on the brunette. She nervously waited two minutes before calling out.

"Regina? It's Emma." She was rewarded with a vision of a towel wrapped beauty coming out of the mist. Her brunette hair was towel dried and brushed back and her skin color was paler than Emma remembered.

"You were fast." Regina's face lit up with a smile, but Emma could see the dark circles under her eyes. She came over and wrapped her arms around Emma, giving her a lingering hug, but turned her head away when Emma tried to kiss her on the mouth. She could see the hurt and puzzled look on the blonde's face, so she ran her hands up and down Emma's arms. "Emma, please trust me." She saw the look of confusion deepen in Emma's green eyes. "We just need to wait."

"I just wanted a kiss." Emma's heart sank as she considered that Regina had changed her mind about the whole deal. She pulled away from the brunette and stepped back.

"And I would like nothing more." Regina assured her. "But the power of true love's kiss is strong; we need to wait."

Emma looked at her incredulously. "We've kissed plenty of times before, Regina." She felt her hurt turning to anger.

Regina's chocolate eyes filled with sadness. _Why can't you just trust me? _"It's different now; there's no time to explain." She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the reticent blonde; she started with Emma's cheek, planting a trail of soft kisses that lead to Emma's ear. "I love you Emma." She whispered before nibbling on the Sheriff's earlobe.

Emma felt her pulse race with each touch of Regina's lips; and she felt her heart melt when Regina declared her love. "I love you, too." Emma murmured; reveling in the affection that Regina was lavishing upon her.

"Then please trust me?" The brunette pleaded as she kissed each of Emma's fingertips and the palms of her hands.

"Girls, lunch is ready." They heard Rose call from downstairs.

Emma looked at Regina and sulked. "I hate not kissing you; but I do trust you."

"Thank you." Regina threw her arms around Emma for one last hug. "We better go before Rose comes up here." She grinned. "And I promise that after tonight, you can have all the kisses you want for the rest of your life."

Emma smiled. "I plan to hold you to that."

Rose laughed at the look of joy that the women shared when they came downstairs. "Cheeseburgers and fries?" Emma asked excitedly.

"Yep." Rose grinned. "I figured you would like one last all-American meal; though now that I know how to make them here, I plan to make them when we go back to the Realm, too."

"Thank God." Emma said in relief; the thought of going without her favorite foods hadn't even crossed her mind.

She sat next to Regina at the table and stuffed a ketchup-laden French fry into her mouth. Both of them stilled when they heard the light tap at the door. Rose went and peeked out the glass before opening the door. "It's just Michael; I called him like you asked, Regina."

"Regina?" He looked confused at the Mayor who sat with wet hair and no make up, eating a hamburger.

She stood and walked over to her assistant. "Michael, I've missed you." She wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a hug. He smiled and returned the gesture.

"I've missed you too, girl; I thought you were sick." He sat down across from Emma as Regina sat next to the blonde.

"It's a long story." She admitted.

"But, you two are okay? I mean, I heard about your wicked fight at the diner…"

Regina nodded and answered as Emma took her hand. "We're fine; but I need to catch you up to speed on things."

He glanced at Rose as she sat a plate of food in front of him. "Don't worry Michael, it's a veggie burger; Regina told me you're off the meat right now." He didn't miss Regina trying to smother a laugh at Rose's unintended double entendre.

"Um, thank you, Rose; that's very thoughtful of you." He fought to keep from blushing as he shot the Mayor a '_stop it' _look. Emma, for her part, just kept eating fries and tried not to laugh.

Michael moaned as he bit into the veggie burger. "Rose, this is amazing; will you share your recipe with me?"

The healer blushed at his praise. "Of course, sweetie; and you and Thomas are welcome anytime to come eat with me now that we'll be neighbors."

"I'm sorry, what?" He cocked his head in puzzlement.

Regina smoothly cut in. "Like I said, we have a bit of catching up to do." She nodded to Rose who produced a feather quill that she had hidden next to her. The healer handed it to the Mayor who carefully smoothed the feather as she spoke. "I think this should clear up things; this used to be yours." She handed him the quill and waited.

All three women watched as an array of emotions flickered on the man's face. Confusion, pain, sorrow, and then finally joy as he opened his eyes and stared at the quill. "Wow." Was all he uttered. Regina gave him a moment to process all of the flashbacks that he had just seen in his mind. "Are you alright?" She asked him earnestly.

He simply nodded. A few moments later his demeanor changed and the confidence returned in his posture and in his attitude. "Your Majesty." He smiled at Regina.

"Michelangelo." She beamed back.

"Rose, I remember you, too." He nodded happily at the healer. "You were the one person who Regina had any real respect for."

"That's not true." Regina pouted. "I have the utmost respect for you too, Michael; I've always adored you."

"And I have always adored you, Your Highness." He gave a mock bow to her before turning to Emma. "And you are the daughter of King James and Queen Snow? Amazing..."

Emma squirmed under his stare. "Yeah, that's me." She replied in embarrassment.

"Well, I always did think your dad was hot." He sniggered, earning him a smack on the arm from Regina. "What?" He asked innocently. "Just because I love Thomas doesn't mean I'm blind; James is a fine looking man."

"Okay, just stop." Emma begged. "I _really_ want to be able to eat my lunch."

He laughed harder at her obvious discomfort. "I'm sorry Emma, I didn't even think about the fact that we were discussing your dad. Is that weird or what?"

"More than you could imagine." She admitted.

He turned his focus back onto Regina. "I take it there's a reason you decided to return all of my memories; care to fill me in on the plan?"

The rest of lunch was spent discussing what would need to happen over the next few hours. He wrote down in shorthand a list of things that Regina insisted that he do; only one was related to work, the rest were to help him prepare to return to the Realm.

"Well, Rose." He smiled again at the healer. "I hope you don't mind company quite often for meals; neither Thomas nor I are very good cooks. But trust me, if you let us help you decorate, your house will look fabulous."

"Well, that's a fair trade by me; I know some great stores in the capital city that sell an amazing assortment of exotic fruits and nuts. We'll go sometime." She began creating vegetarian recipes in her head.

"Fine, but you have to let me take you to this little antique shop in the capital city; I know you're going to love it." He gushed. "Okay, I hate to eat and run, but it sounds like I only have a few hours to get ready." He stood and gave Regina and Rose each a hug; he was about to hug Emma but she pulled back.

"Sorry, not really a hugger." She apologized with a shrug.

"That's fine; give it some time. After all, we're going to be neighbors." He grinned.

"Yay." She responded in forced enthusiasm, earning her a smack on the arm from Rose.


	38. Chapter 38

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

**Chapter Thirty-eight**

"We don't have much time; is everyone ready?" Regina looked around the room at her friends and her lover.

"I have my journals and herbs packed, as well as my recipe box and some spices that are unheard of in the Realm." Rose pointed at her two cardboard boxes that were taped up with brown packing tape.

"Good, then we all meet at Snow and Emma's place at six o'clock. Bring what you need, but pack light; without the assistance of magic, we won't be able to take much back with us."

Michael paused at the doorway. "I'll be right back with what you need Regina, and then I'll meet you all at six o'clock at Princess Emma's apartment." He laughed when Emma rolled her eyes at his comment.

"What's he coming back with?" Emma asked curiously.

"I need to transform into my most badass mayor persona; I'm going to need him to do my makeup, my hair and find an outfit that best fits that mode. Believe me, Michael can work wonders in transforming me."

Emma considered that as she looked at the fresh faced, casual woman before her. "Well, I think you're gorgeous either way."

Regina felt her cheeks heating at the sincere compliment. _So much for being a badass._

"Are you all set for this, my love?" She gave Emma a grave look as she took the blonde's hand. "It won't be easy for either of us, but it's the only way to ensure our plan works."

Emma kissed the back of Regina's hand. "If it means I get to kiss you then I'm ready for anything."

"Then meet me at Mr. Gold's shop at three o'clock; if all goes well I will have done my part and we can set everything in motion." She stood to leave, giving Emma one last, lingering kiss on her forehead. "I hate having to fight with you, even if it is an act." She murmured into the blonde's hair.

"Me too." Emma agreed before standing up and giving Regina a hug. "I'll see you at three."

Rose watched as Emma left her shop and drove away. _I wonder if she's going to miss that old car. _Turning her attention back to Regina she asked. "Is there anything more I can do?"

"I think we're as ready as we're going to be; now it's just up to me to make one last trade with Mr. Gold. Wish me luck." She sighed, knowing that she was already emotionally taxed; but she would soon need to tap her reserves and pull this off. "I think I'll go lie down until Michael returns."

Rose cleaned up from the lunch and put the dishes away in the cupboards. _Surely there's something I can do to help her. _She mentally ran through a list of herbs and tonics before deciding on two that would benefit Regina. She dried her hands off on her apron and searched the drawers of her shop for the necessary ingredients.

She began by setting out three cups and a tea kettle for the ginseng tea she would prepare. _To help with emotional stress and fatigue. _She then added some lemon oil and peppermint oil together in a small glass bottle of sandalwood oil. _Regina can put that on her pulse points to help overcome her tiredness._She called Michael on his disposable phone and requested that he bring some apples from the Mayor's tree. _That should help soothe her nerves. _She sat at her table and looked around her shop. _Twenty-eight years here in this shop. _She ran her hands over the small table, feeling the smooth, well worn grooves in the wood. _I'll miss you, table; perhaps Geppetto can make me one like you when we get settled in the Realm. _She took out a pad of paper and began to sketch different things from her shop; the table, the cupboards, the stack of jars and vials on the counter, the view from her window and the garden that she had so tenderly cared for all these years. _At least I'll have Regina, Emma, Michael and Thomas to keep me company. _She took comfort in the idea of having them as neighbors.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the opening of the shop door. "Hey Rose, it's just me." Michael came into the shop and quickly closed the door behind him. "You might want to lock that now, so nobody else can come in." He looked around the room. "Is Regina resting?"

"Yes." Rose took the proffered apples from his hands. "You can either set up in the garden where there's natural light or in my back room with fluorescents. I'll go wake her." She watched as he headed out to the garden with the makeup kit and a chair.

She watched the brunette as she slept; Regina looked years younger without her makeup or the intense emotions she usually displayed during her waking hours. Rose loathed awakening her, but time was of the essence and Regina was key to the operation's success. "Regina, dear." She gently shook the woman. "It's time to wake up."

"Mrmph."

"I know, love, but Michael's here to do your hair and makeup."

Regina opened one eye and squinted at Rose. "How long have I been sleeping?" She yawned before sitting up on the bed.

"Nearly forty-five minutes. Did you sleep well?"

"Very." Regina took and expelled a deep breath. "Still tired, but sleep can wait." She padded down the stairs and out into the garden where Michael awaited her. Forty minutes later, her transformation was complete. Her hair curled softly around her face, her makeup accented her hollow cheekbones and dark brown eyes; the dark red lipstick complimented her gray business suit and burgundy silk blouse. She slipped on the three inch black stilettos over her black trouser socks as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She fussed with her bangs before she was fully satisfied with her appearance. "Thank you, Michael." Her voice took on the unaffected, dark tone that she had used for so many years in Storybrooke. "Your work, as always, is impressive." She turned to Rose. "It's showtime; I'll see you both at six."

Rose watched as the Regina, very much in Mayor-mode, walked smoothly out of her shop and towards her Mercedes. Michael stood behind her, watching Regina as she pulled away. "It's kind of daunting how she can just change like that." Rose commented.

Michael nodded, impressed at his physical transformation of the Mayor. "Amazing." He though of his newly returned memories of the Evil Queen. "At least she has Emma, and us, to help keep the darkness at bay."

"I only hope it's enough once we go back home."

Regina sat outside the pawnshop and waited for her Rolex wristwatch to reach two thirty. She braced herself for the upcoming exchange before exiting her car and heading towards the shop. The door, as she predicted, was locked; the sign hanging in the glass said C_losed._ James had called her when he noticed the Mercedes pulling up to the store. He had assured her that Rumple was still inside; he also promised that he could see inside the shop and would come to her rescue if she needed help. "It's best if you don't, James; if I fail, then we'll regroup and try again, but if you come in and save me, Rumple will know that it's a setup. Stay where you are, but if I come and stare out of the window, it's a signal to stop Emma from coming inside, okay?" She felt better knowing someone had her back, especially someone as capable as King James.

She tapped on the door, but received no response. She walked around back and searched for the well hidden door that blended into the wall; the door that would lead to his private office and living quarters. She straightened up and found the thread of fury that she needed to confront the imp. Pounding on the door, she yelled. "I know you're in there, Gold! Open this door now, before I find a way to break it down." She pounded again and then waited.

The door opened very slowly before the pawnbroker peeked outside. He gave an insincere smile at the Mayor. "Regina, whatever are you doing here?"

She pulled the door open and stepped inside, forcing the man to step backwards. "What have you done?" She demanded of him, her tone low and menacing.

"Me?" He gave her an infuriating smile. "I've done nothing, dearie." He noticed Belle stepping out of the parlor. "Belle, my love, please wait for me in the parlor while I deal with our esteemed Mayor."

Belle stared at Regina. "I know you." She said with amazement in her tone.

"Yes, I imagine you do." Regina kept all emotion out of her voice. "Tell me, how do you like being out of the hospital's basement cells?"

"Is that where you hid her from me? In a cage underground?" Mr. Gold seethed.

"I'd think you'd be happy just to see that she's actually alive." She scoffed.

He glanced back at Belle as he tried to rein in his anger. "Belle, the Mayor and I will be in the shop; stay put, my love, I'll be back shortly."

Belle smiled at him and nodded. "Whatever you say, Mr. Gold."

"This way." He whispered harshly at the Mayor as he opened the curtain into his shop.

"Again, I ask, what did you do?" Regina folded her arms and stared at the man.

"Whatever do you mean, my Queen?" He mocked.

"You cast a curse on Emma and Henry; they both have now defied me." Her eyes snapped with anger. "This is unacceptable!"

"Alas, it's not a curse, dearie. Have you ever considered that they both just got tired of your bullshit? As, I must confess, I have. Now if you have nothing else to discuss, it's time for you to go." His smile turned into a sneer.

"The curse, do you know how to break it?" She stepped forward.

"Of course I do; I created it after all."

"Then I need you to break it; I need us to go back to the Realm before Emma takes Henry away forever."

"What makes you think that's her plan?" He asked coyly.

"Because of this; she left it taped to my front door." She handed him a note. He read the words and then cackled.

"So she plans to leave town and knows you can't follow them; ah, but she mentions the deal that she and I made. Unfortunate; I had hoped to wash my hands of this whole debacle." He handed the letter back to the Mayor.

"What deal did she make with you, devil?"

"A simple one that would ensure that you never again can threaten or harm her or her son. You see, my dear, you can't control those who have the power to control _you_. So step out of my way…please."

She heard the word, but felt no compelling need to do as he asked. _It worked. _"Your control…"

"Yes, yes, a small price to pay in exchange for my son and my Belle." He admitted.

Her eyes turned dark in fury. "So _she _has this power over me now?"

"Well, of course; after all, I always keep _my_ word on a deal. Besides…" He watched for the Mayor's reaction. "It was fun for a little while to be able to get you to do what I wanted; but the truth is, dearie, you are of no use to me here now that I have my family intact. I'm sure Emma will have more use of the power than I would."

She gave him a moment to enjoy his victory before she began the bargaining. "Can it be broken?" She voiced in desperation.

"No…Emma and I both kept our part of the deal; and, as you know, a deal's a deal." He cackled.

"Not that curse; _THE curse_!" She spat.

"And why should I break the Dark Curse and have us all returned to the Realm? I have my family now, as well as the deed to most of this town. I have no compelling reason to change my situation."

"What if you could be a King in the Realm?" She tempted.

"Go on…" He encouraged her to continue.

"If you tell me _how _to break the curse, I'll give you a fourth of my kingdom in exchange."

He pretended to consider her offer as he put his hand on his chin and stroked the skin. "Half." He countered.

She eyed him closely. "A third; but, it must be the southern half of my land." _Come on, take the bait._

He thought about the large kingdom's layout and realized he would be getting the worst part of the land. "A third will work, but I want the northern part; I know you have a lovely castle there, but I think it would be better suited for the Dark One." He countered back.

"Fine; one third of my kingdom it is. The northern third, including the Castle. Now tell me how to break the curse." Regina demanded.

"Wait." He put a finger into the air to slow the conversation down. "All of the resources, the citizens are part of the deal, too; not just the land." He imagined himself sitting in the castle, lording over all of his subjects.

"Of course." Her anger bubbled over. "Now, how do I break the curse?"

"Once I tell you, the deal is sealed; it's up to you to actually break the curse. If you fail, the deal still stands. Agreed?" He felt his pulse race at the successful bargain that he had struck.

"Agreed."

He produced a scroll with the terms already written. "Just needs your signature, dearie." He handed her a ball point pen.

She looked at him suspiciously. "How did you know this deal would ever take place?"

He shook his head and tsked. "Queen Regina, as a fellow nobleman I'll give you a word of advice that will help you in life. You, my dear, are impetuous; you only think of what you gain in the short term and never consider the implications of the long run. That rashness has never served you well." He pointed at himself. "I, on the other hand, always look at the end game; I knew that one day, you would want this curse broken _so_ badly, that you would agree to whatever terms I set. The northern third of your kingdom has always been my price; and today you agreed to it. So, without further ado, your signature please…"

She glowered at him, but signed her name on the line before adding the required marks to seal the deal.

"Thank you my dear." He added as he signed his name. "To break the curse, requires a kiss of true love."

She waited for details but none were forthcoming. "A little more information please?"

He grew serious. "Emma has always been the key; and you have always been the lock. Shame the key doesn't fit anymore now that you've turned her against you."

They both turned as the chime on the door rang. "There you are." Emma angrily confronted the Mayor.

"Miss Swan, we were just talking about you." Mr. Gold pleasantly addressed the Sheriff. "Why don't you give that power a try now?" He smiled at her.

"Regina…" She started to walk around the brunette like a hunter sizing up her prey. "On your knees." She waited a moment before adding the word. "Please."

Regina felt the power of the request compel her to do as she was asked; without realizing it, she was soon on her knees in front of Emma and Mr. Gold.

Mr. Gold was the first to break the silence. "Satisfied Sheriff?"

Emma gave him an evil smirk. "Oh yeah; well worth the price." She turned her attention to Regina. "Get up, Madame Mayor; and don't worry, I'll only use this power if you ever try to harm me or my son again. Stay away from us or you'll regret the consequences." The blonde threatened.

Regina felt the color drain from her face at the Sheriff's words. If Emma was acting, she was too convincing for Regina's taste; and if Emma was serious then Regina realized she was thoroughly screwed. She stood and straightened her suit jacket. "Miss Swan, trust me, your little threats don't scare me." _Gods, I'm tired._

"Well then we're even because you don't scare me anymore either." Emma turned to leave. "Mr. Gold, thank you for your cooperation."

"Anytime, Sheriff." He smiled and raised his hand in 'goodbye' before turning again to the Mayor. "Your Majesty, it seems you have your work cut out for you; and you best hurry before blondie there takes her son and leaves Storybrooke. Once they're gone, breaking the curse won't bring them back."


	39. Chapter 39

**Realm of Shadows**

Summary: As Emma repays the favour owed to Mr. Gold it becomes the key to unlocking many things in Storybrooke.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina

**Disclaimers:** I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction, so any comments that help me become a better writer are always welcomed.

Thanks, as always, to Pesterfield, my grammar guru who catches my errors.

**Chapter Thirty -nine**

Emma was accosted by her son and Snow as soon as she walked in the door of the apartment. "Tell us everything." Snow insisted as she led the blonde to the table and sat her down.

"Did you see Mom?" Henry asked immediately.

"Yeah." Emma's face lit up with a grin. "She's fine, really good actually. She's going to meet us here at five thirty to make the final preparations."

"Good." Snow stated with authority. "James told me that he kept an eye on the building until Regina left Rumple's store. He'll meet us at five thirty, too. What about Rose and Michael?"

"They'll be here at six."

"Perfect. So the agreement you made with Rumple, I assume it worked?" Snow asked as she stood in the kitchen and made three cups of hot chocolate.

"Yeah, we tested it out in front of Mr. Go…I mean Rumple; Regina called me once she left the shop and assured me that he no longer has power over her and that the contract between them is a done deal. He agreed to tell her how to break the curse."

"True love's kiss!" Henry interrupted her as he realized how the curse would break.

Emma laughed and ruffled his hair. "Smart, kiddo." She took a sip of her cocoa before continuing.

"So, now we just wait, I guess." Emma looked around the apartment and realized that she would miss this modest living space that Mary Margaret had shared with her. _Snow. _Emma corrected herself as she looked at her roommate. _Roommate, Mom, whatever._

"Are you all packed to go back to the Realm?" The brunette asked her.

"Yeah, I've got my baby blanket and my red leather jacket; there's nothing else I can think of that I'll need." She admitted.

"Well, I have most of my things gathered, too." Snow put her knitting needles in a box. "I just find I'm attached to too many things here in Storybrooke."

"What about you, Henry?" Emma watched the boy as he sipped his cocoa.

"Got my book." He confidently patted his backpack. "It's all I need. I figure that everything else will be in our new house."

"That's what I hope for too, Henry." Snow agreed. "With any luck everything I left there is still intact. James is bringing over a few items too; hopefully there's enough magic when the curse breaks to bring at least a couple things with us."

"We'll know soon enough, I suppose." Emma stood and put her cup in the sink.

"Emma!" Snow chided her.

"What?" The blonde looked at her in confusion.

"Just because we might be leaving Storybrooke forever is no excuse to leave a dirty cup in the sink. Wash it and put it away."

"Seriously?" Emma laughed incredulously, but washed the cup and stored it in the cupboard.

"Anyone home?" James opened the door to the apartment and stepped inside. Immediately Snow's countenance changed and a look of pure bliss spread over her.

"You made it." She smiled broadly as she gave James a kiss. He returned the affection before greeting Emma and Henry.

"Everything went well?" He asked the blonde.

"So far, so good." She nodded. "Thanks for your help today."

He sat at the table and took her hand. "I'm here for you anytime you need me Emma; in this world and in the Realm."

She smiled uneasily and gently pulled back from his grip. _This whole having parents thing is going to take some getting used to. But as she looked at her family she realized that her roots were firmly planted in unconditional love. _She was grateful that Henry began asking questions of Snow and James about the Realm.

The knock at the door was soft and Snow barely heard it over James and Henry's discussion. She answered the door and smiled. "Come in Regina." She opened the door further to allow the Mayor entrance.

"Mom!" Henry bolted from his seat and wrapped his arms around Regina. "You made it."

Regina felt the tears run down her cheeks but she didn't care who saw them. "I made it." She hugged him back, loath to let him ever go. Finally the hug broke and she smiled at Emma. The blonde stood and hugged Regina, adding a kiss to the brunette's cheek before letting her go. "James, Snow." She greeted them, unsure of how they would respond. James stood and embraced her quickly. _He's always been kind. _She thought of the man. Snow, overcome by the moment, also gave the brunette a quick hug which Regina gladly returned.

She sat down at the table between Emma and Henry. "You look tired." The blonde said softly as she took in Regina's appearance. The heavy make-up and business suit were gone; replaced by a freshly scrubbed face and casual clothes.

"Mhmmm." Regina acknowledged. "But I'll be fine now." She glanced around at everyone in the room. "Are you all prepared?"

Snow grinned at her. "I think we've each asked that a hundred times now; is there anything else we need to know?"

Regina though for a moment. "Just make sure that the things that are most important are actually on your body. Snow you'll need the ring I gave you; James you'll need the sceptre."

Snow held out her hand to show Regina the large ring on her finger and James walked over and took the sceptre from his small pile. The Mayor nodded. "Hold onto that tightly; I have no idea how violent the whirlwind will be when the curse breaks."

There was another knock at the door; this time James answered it and let Rose and Michael inside. "Welcome, you two." He shook Michael's hand and gave Rose a quick hug.

Michael was on his knees instantly. "King James, Queen Snow; with Queen Regina's permission given, I swear fealty to you and your crown. As a subject of your kingdom, my services are at your disposal should you choose to use them."

James stood tall, recognizing the allegiance of a loyal and essential subject. He took the sceptre he held in his hand and tapped each of Michael's shoulders as he spoke. "Michelangelo, former subject and citizen under Queen Regina's rule, your long standing and faithful service to her majesty has not gone unnoticed. I welcome you into our kingdom and promote you to Duke of Mills lands; with all of the honors, title and responsibilities therein."

Michael stood up; astonished at the honor. "Your Majesties." He bowed again to Snow and James before turning and doing the same to Emma and Henry.

"Duke Michelangelo." Snow smiled as she acknowledged his nobility.

Emma and Henry looked to Regina for guidance; the Mayor was beaming with pride at her friend. "An excellent choice, King James; I know he will serve you well."

"Does that mean he isn't going to be our neighbor?" Henry asked dejectedly.

"On the contrary." Snow assured him. "The Duke will still live next door to you; he just has a new job now. Think of him as the Mayor of your part of the kingdom."

"Oh cool." Henry grinned. "But I can still call you Michael, right?"

The blonde man looked over at the boy and chuckled. "Considering you're a Prince, you can call me anything you'd like."

"Rose, would you come here please?" James gestured at the space before him. Rose quickly obliged him and knelt before the King. "Lady Rose, you have been a lifelong subject in the kingdom of King Leopold, father of Queen Snow White. As we return to the Realm and resume our position as rightful heirs to his lands and his kingdom, I honor the kindness, guidance and support that you have give to Queen Regina since she was a child. You loved her as a mother and you are truly family to her. For this, I honor you with the title of Countess; with all the honors, title and responsibilities therein."

Rose stood and curtsied again to all in the room. "Your Majesties."

"Lady Rose." King James replied with a smile.

Emma felt the surrealness of the situation closing in on her; she desperately wondered how she would ever figure out everything she was supposed to know and do once they arrived in the Realm.

"Regina, if you would honor us." James asked as he looked at the Mayor and former Queen in the Realm. She hesitated for only a second before she came and knelt before her King. James tapped her shoulders as he had with Michael and Rose. The brunette felt the weight of the staff as it touched her; it was matched by the weight in her soul. _Please be kind to me. _She thought as she waited for his words; his words that would be the difference between scorn and honor for the rest of her life in his Kingdom. "Lady Regina, former Queen in the Realm." He began, but then paused. She closed her eyes tightly and waited for the sentence he was about to give her for crimes committed against the Realm.

"Your sacrifice and bravery, done in the name of love for our daughter Emma and grandson Henry, demands that you be given honor in our kingdom. As agreed, your deeds against the kingdom have been forgiven and you are free to live in peace for the rest of your mortal life."

Regina felt the weight of the world lifted off of her shoulders as he pronounced official forgiveness. "In reward for your unselfish deed to bring about the end of the curse, I give to you the official title of Countess; with all the honors, title and responsibilities therein. Should you and Emma marry, of your own free wills; your title will be changed to Princess Consort."

She stood and gracefully curtsied to the King and Queen. "Your Majesties." She offered.

"Lady Regina." Snow accepted. "Now, if you will all join us in one last meal…" Snow walked to the kitchen and pulled the lasagna out of the oven. "I figured it would be best if we arrived with full stomachs." Snow shrugged.

The seven of them sat around the small table once Snow had served everybody a generous helping of the pasta. Emma had helped by bringing over the bread and wine to the table.

James uncorked one of the bottles and poured some into everyone's glass, including a small amount into Henry's. "A toast." He raised his glass and the others followed suit. "To all of us here who did what needed to be done to break the imp's curse and send us home; may our lives in the Realm be long and joyous. Cheers."

"Here, here." They all clinked glasses and drank to his words. A silence settled over the table as they all ate their meal. Snow looked around and noticed each person. Regina was subdued and serious. _Probably worried if the curse will break. _Michael and Rose seemed calm and content. _They're ready to go home. _James was poised; his first few acts as King had raised his confidence up yet another notch. _My love, it is time. _She noticed the excitement in Henry's eyes. _What kid wouldn't want to have his fantasies fulfilled; you are ready Prince Henry._

The last person she looked at was Emma; there, in her daughter's eyes she found trepidation and fear. _You have no idea how wonderful and strong you really are; you needn't be afraid my sweet baby girl. _Emma noticed her staring and gave Snow a curious glance. Snow reached over and took Emma's hand; she smiled and nodded at her daughter, trying to instill some assurance that everything would be alright. She took heart in the fact that Emma let her hold her hand for a moment before squeezing it gently and pulling away.

The meal was finished and time was growing short; in moments the truth would be known. "Emma would you mind helping me clean up?" Snow asked the blonde. "Everyone else, why don't you use the restroom and get ready to go."

Emma nodded to Snow, but took a moment and pulled Henry aside. "Henry this is super important; call Red and tell her to go _now_ and give Baelfire the letter I gave her." He nodded and pulled out his cell phone. "Tell her to stay with him and find out what he will do; then let me know right away." She stepped away once she heard the voice on the other end of Henry's call.

She brought the glasses and empty bottles of wine to the kitchen. "Just recycle those." Snow signified the bottles. "And put the glasses in the dishwasher."

"You do realize that if this works, we won't have to worry about these dishes, right?" Emma queried.

"I know." Snow admitted. "But I just wanted a moment alone with you before this happens." She waited for Emma to dispose of the bottles and glasses before walking over and standing in front of the blonde. "Emma, you are an amazing person and I am honored to have had you as my friend. But I'm more amazed and overwhelmed that you are that baby girl that I had to send away." She took both of Emma's hands in hers. "No matter what, if this curse breaks or doesn't, everything is going to work out fine. I promise you. You have no idea how much I love you." She wrapped her arms around a surprised Emma who slowly returned the hug. When they stepped back, both had tears in their eyes. Snow smiled at her daughter and placed a hand on Emma's cheek. "It's time, baby; let's go home."

Henry came back and looked expectantly at Emma. "I have a report." He said in all seriousness.

"What did he say?" Emma gave him her full attention.

"Red says that Baelfire read the note and said to go ahead; he and Paul will return to the realm."

Emma released a breath she had been holding. "Okay, as long as he consents, then we are ready to proceed."

Rose took Regina's hand and passed her the vial. "To repay your old friend the debt you owe her."

Regina looked at the bottle and realized it was the ash from the demon that Emma had slain. "It's not enough to conjure a full sized demon, but Maleficent can at least make an imp from it." Regina acknowledged gratefully. "Thank you, Rose; as always, you look out for me." She slipped it into her pocket to ensure it would go with her to the Realm.

"Alright." James announced from the space he cleared in the living room. "Bring your things over here." Everyone picked up their small gathering of belongings and set them in the space. "Make sure that the most important things are actually attached to your body so they don't get lost in transport. Regina…what now?"

Emma spoke before Regina had the chance to answer. "First things first; Regina I release you from the power that I have over you. You no longer are cursed to comply to my requests when I ask _Please."_

"Thank you, Emma." She felt the shackles of the curse fall from her soul. "Okay everyone, listen up."

The five of them stood in a ring around the two women; their hands grasped to complete the circle. Regina stood across from Emma and clasped her hands. She looked intensely into Emma's green eyes and there, deep inside, she found what Daniel had promised would be there. She saw bravery, kindness, loyalty and above all else, love. _Now I understand. _She thought to his ghost. And in that moment she gave herself, heart and soul, to Emma. "Kiss me." She whispered. So Emma did.

"Did it work?" Emma whispered when the kiss had ended.

"Open your eyes my love and see for yourself." Regina laughed.

The group stood, their circle still intact, in the midst of a throne room. "Whoa." Was all Emma could say, as she slowly looked around the stone walls that were adorned with banners and crests.

"Awesome!" Henry let go of Snow and James' hands and ran out into the center of the room. "You did it!"

Regina gently kissed Emma again. "My love, we did it."

In the dwarven mine, behind the cell walls that were built to hold him in, Rumplestiltskin appeared in the realm. "What is this?" He demanded of the dwarf who stood outside the cell.

Grumpy just looked at him and smirked. "Looks like you got tricked, old man." Walking away with his pickaxe over his shoulder he called. "And you deserved it."

"Regina!" The imp yelled as he shook the bars that imprisoned him.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who took the time to read this story. Are you interested in a sequel? I just need to know if the interest is there, so pm me if you think I should continue.

A special thanks to **Pesterfield **who stuck with me the whole way and helped me become a better writer. Because of her, this story is a hundred times better than if I had done it alone.

And thanks to all of you who took the time to write comments on this story. Your words inspired me to keep writing, even when my muse wouldn't cooperate. It is you guys who kept this story going.

And last, but not least, a thank you to my wife. I know I promised you a story many years ago; I hope this one will suffice. You mean the world to me and I love you more everyday. Ten years together is just the start…you're stuck with me forever 3


	40. Preview for Shadows of the Realm

**A/N This is a preview of the upcoming sequel to Realm of Shadows. Thank you all who encouraged me to continue writing the story.**

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**Shadows of the Realm**

Preview

"Seize her!" The head guard ordered as his small platoon entered the Throne Room. All of his men unsheathed their swords and advanced on Regina as she stood in the circle. King James whirled around and faced his men.

"Halt!" He commanded, causing the soldiers to pause. "Lady Regina is no longer an enemy of this kingdom." Confused, all of the soldiers looked to the captain for instruction.

Snow spoke firmly. "Don't look at him, look at me; if your King or I give you an order does it not supersede that of your guard captain?" All of the men snapped to attention.

"My Queen." The captain saluted Snow. "My apologies; we were not aware there had been a change in orders concerning the Dark Queen."

James nodded as he addressed the soldiers. "I understand; this has been a sudden development. We now have an alliance with the former Queen." He faced the captain. "Captain, locate General Riddle and have him report to me immediately." The captain saluted again as he and his men marched in double time to find the General.

Snow turned to their guests. "I think it's best if, for tonight, you all stay here in our castle. We'll meet for breakfast in the west dining room." She looked at Regina. "You remember where that is?"

"Of course I do; I lived in this castle for years." She tried to rein in her emotions, but she was exhausted after the events of the day and wanted nothing more than to sleep in Emma's arms.

Snow seemed to realize that Regina wasn't snapping out of malice, rather from tiredness. "Take the guest chambers; the three rooms on the left side of the hallway have fresh linens and water."

"Thank you, Snow; we've all had a long day." She looked at her fellow travelers. "Follow me, I'll show you where we go." Emma, Henry, Rose and Michael all willingly followed her out of the Throne Room and down the long granite corridors of the castle. Emma tried to keep track of all the twists and turns they made, but finally gave up and blindly followed the brunette to a double staircase. The five of them climbed the polished marble stairs that turned gracefully up to a small antechamber. Regina went to the first doorway and pushed open the heavy wooden door. "Michael, here you go." She did the same for Rose at the next doorway before leading Henry and Emma to the last door on the left. "Welcome home." She mused as they entered the spacious dwelling.

"Whoa." Henry intoned as he looked up at the vaulted ceiling. He ran to the window and looked out over the castle's courtyard. It was nearly dark outside, but he could make out the shapes of soldiers training on the grounds.

Emma was the first to spy the king-sized canopy bed that sat in the corner of the room. She looked at Regina tiredly, but managed to conjure a huge grin at the sight. "Now _that's_ a bed." She padded over and felt the silk bedcovers.

Henry ran back over, provoking a firm _No running in the castle _from Regina. He smiled his cheesy grin and hoped it would be enough to stave off trouble from his mom. "Henry, I'm exhausted and I know we've all had a big day; go wash and get ready for bed." She gestured to the small room off of the bedroom. "Emma, as much as I'm pleased that your leather jacket made it to the Realm, I suggest you look in the cupboard for something more appropriate for sleeping."

Still standing, Emma bent over and laid her head on the bed. "But it's so comfy." She protested. Regina smiled indulgently at her petulant lover.

"Fine, I'll find us both something; in the meantime why don't you join Henry and make sure he brushes his teeth."

"They have toothbrushes here?" Emma asked in surprise.

"No." Regina gave her a wicked smile. "But I packed three dozen with me."

"Oh, you are truly an evil woman." Emma embraced the brunette from behind and gave her a bear hug.

It didn't take long for the family of three to wash up, change into the cotton pajamas that Regina found, and end up cuddling in the big bed. Regina was sandwiched between Emma and Henry, both of them hugging her. "Blow out the candle my love?" She asked Emma, who rolled over and with a small breath extinguished the flame.

"Get some sleep, tomorrow starts the first day of our new lives." The brunette promised.


End file.
